Agricultural News
2009 A Good Year For Meat Exports
Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:04:43 CST
Based on statistics it compiled, the U.S. Meat Export Federation projects that both beef and pork exports are primed to start 2010 on an upward trend. U.S. red meat exports finished 2009 on a positive note with healthy gains in volume over December of a year ago. Although 2009 year-end exports of both U.S. pork and beef were down compared to the prior year, U.S. exports equaled or bettered their main international competitors.
U.S. pork exports closed the year with an eight percent jump in volume and six percent in value for the month of December compared to year-ago totals. For the calendar year, pork exports registered the second-highest total in history. U.S. pork exports outpaced the performance of global competitors, which, based on available data, slumped 15 percent in value for the year, led by a 22 percent drop for European Union pork producers.
The story was similar for U.S. beef exports, which rose nine percent in volume and four percent in value for the month of December compared to 2008. For all of 2009, global beef export value fell 16 percent, with Brazil's export value tumbling 23 percent and Australia's falling 18.5 percent. U.S. beef exports for all of 2009 slipped nine percent in volume and 15 percent in value compared to 2008.
U.S. lamb muscle cut exports set a new value record of 21.9-million dollars in 2009, breaking the previous year's mark by 2 percent. Combined lamb plus lamb variety meat exports fell just short of the 2006 value record of 27.75-million dollars. The Caribbean remained the leading value market for U.S. lamb. But exports to Mexico tripled in value over 2008, rising to 8.13-million dollars.
For complete meat export statistics visit the Federation website by clicking here or get the report here.
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