U.S. pork exports in July amounted to 396 million pounds, about 2.5 percent below the levels recorded during July 2013, according to the USDA Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report, released on September 17. Higher prices of U.S. pork products in June are largely attributed to the overall reduction of U.S. pork exports in July.
Of the typical ten largest importers of U.S. pork, six of them received fewer shipments in July. Japan, Canada, Russia, China, Australia, the Philippines and Honduras all showed a drop in imports of U.S. pork. The most significant drop came from China, which went from receiving 53 million pounds to 25 million pounds, a 53.5 percent decrease.
The U.S. exported more pork to Mexico – its largest customer – with a 3.8 percent increase. July 2014 levels reached 113 million pounds, up from the July 2013 figure of 109 million pounds. Other countries increasing shipments of U.S. pork included South Korea, up 19.5 percent, and Colombia, up 23.8 percent. Russia went from receiving no U.S. pork in July 2013 to receiving 38 million pounds. That resumption of trade, however, ended after Russia on August 6 announced a ban on food products from the United States and other countries for political reasons.
U.S. increases pork imports
The USDA Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report also noted that pork imports to the U.S. were up 79 million pounds, a year-over-year increase of 2.4 percent. Almost 76 percent of those imports came from Canada, although the U.S. received slightly less Canadian pork in July 2014 than it did during the same month in 2013.
The balance of the U.S. pork imports came from Poland, Denmark, Mexico, Italy and the Netherlands.
