Trade barriers take growing toll on pork exports

Retaliatory tariffs imposed by China and Mexico caused declines in U.S. pork exports to steepen in November, according to USDA statistics compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

November pork exports totaled 206,852 metric tons, down 8 percent year over year, while value fell 12 percent to $538.7 million. For January through November, exports were steady with 2017’s record pace at 2.23 million metric tons, and value was down 1 percent to $5.86 billion.

USMEF’s September data, by comparison, showed pork export volume down 2 percent from September 2017 and export value falling 7 percent. The year-to-date figures at that point showed pork exports between January and September up 1 percent and value up 2 percent.

Trade barriers are also pressuring pork export value on a per-head basis. In November, export value per head slaughtered was $48.80, down 16 percent from November 2017. Through the first 11 months of 2018, per-head export value averaged $51.46, down 3 percent.

Exports accounted for 24.5 percent of total November pork production and 22 percent for muscle cuts, down from 27.7 percent and 24.1 percent, respectively, in November 2017.

China’s duty rate on frozen pork muscle cuts and variety meat increased from 12 to 37 percent in April and from 37 to 62 percent in July. Mexico’s duty rate on pork muscle cuts increased from zero to 10 percent in June and jumped to 20 percent in July. Beginning in June, Mexico also imposed a 15 percent duty on sausages and a 20 percent duty on some prepared hams.

Beef

U.S. beef exports continued at a record pace in November Beef exports totaled 112,842 metric tons, up 1 percent from a year ago, while value climbed 6 percent to $709.2 million.

For January through November, exports reached 1.24 million metric tons, up 8 percent year over year and 6 percent above the record pace of 2011. At $7.63 billion, beef export value was up 16 percent and has already broken the full-year record of $7.27 billion set in 2017.

November export data was released about one month later than usual due to the recent government shutdown. Year-end 2018 data is expected to be available in early to mid-March, USMEF said.