May exports of U.S. pork and beef were steady with last year’s strong volumes and increased year-over-year in value. The U.S. Meat Export Federation says pork exports totaled 218,000 metric tons in May, steady with last year’s pace, while value increased one percent to $567 million, the highest monthly value total since April 2018.
For January through May, pork exports were still four percent below last year in volume and down 10 percent in value to $2.57 billion. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom called the May pork exports “very encouraging, especially the renewed momentum in Japan and China/Hong Kong.”
May beef exports were also steady year-over-year in volume at 117,500 metric tons, while export value increased one percent to $727.6 million, the second-highest on record, trailing only the August 2018 total of $751.7 million. For January through May, exports were three percent below last year’s record pace in volume, but only slightly lower in value at $3.3 billion.