US PORK, BEEF EXPORTS SURGE IN MARCH 2020

In a bit of news that would warm the heart of the US livestock industry, US exports of pork rose to 291,459 metric tons (MT) in March 2020, higher by 38% from March 2019 and beating the record set in December 2019. Export value grew 47% to $764.2 million.

In the first quarter, data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said pork exports increased 40% compared to the first quarter of 2019 to 838,118 MT, with value rising by 52% to $2.23 billion.

The main markets for US pork are China and Hong Kong, Mexico, Japan and Canada.

Not to be outdone, beef exports in March also surged to 115,308 MT, up by 7% with value at $702.2 million but for the entire quarter, beef exports rose 9% to 334,703 MT valued at $2.06 billion, higher by 8% from a similar period last year. Japan has become the main US beef market after the US-Japan Trade Agreement was signed.  South Korea, Mexico, Canada and Mexico are also steady buyers.