USDA International Meat Review

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16 March 2012

USDA International Meat Review - 15th March 2012

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently issued Livestock and Products Semi-Anuual reports for the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, EU-27, India, Russia and South Korea.

Trade Highlights

The reports include summaries, outlooks, livestock inventories, consumption data and current production and supply data. Each report is available on the FAS Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) at http://gain.fas.usda.gov/.

USDA FAS recently published US red meat export and import numbers for January 2012. According to the data, during January, US exports of beef and veal cuts and beef variety meats totaled 89,452 MT. This was down 17.7 percent from the previous month and was down slightly from a year ago. More specifically, fresh, chilled beef exports equaled 28,694 MT, which was 20.3 percent lower than the previous month but was a little higher than a year ago. Frozen beef exports equaled 28,817 MT, which was 22.1 percent lower than the previous month and was 8.1 percent lower than a year ago. During January, the US exported 28,820 MT of beef variety meats. Although this was 10.9 percent less than the previous month, it was 8.9 percent more than a year ago. US beef exports to Mexico during January fell 10.0 percent from the previous month to 19,849 MT. This was 1.9 percent below a year ago. Mexico was the largest US beef export market with 22.2 percent of the total. During January, the US exported 12,582 MT of beef to Canada, which was 25.7 percent less than December and was 2.6 percent less than a year ago. US beef exports to South Korea during January fell 18.5 percent from the previous month to 11,698 MT. This was 2.3 percent lower than a year ago.

During January, US exports of pork cuts and pork variety meats totaled 208,343 MT. Although this was down 2.0 percent from the previous month, it was up 28.3 percent over a year ago. More specifically, exports of fresh, chilled pork equaled 61,722 MT, which was 2.7 percent higher than the previous month and was 34.1 percent higher than a year ago. Likewise, exports of frozen pork rose 2.6 percent over the previous month and 46.7 percent over a year ago to 93,429 MT. During January, US pork variety meat exports totaled 40,211 MT. This was down 14.3 percent from the previous month but was up 9.0 percent over a year ago. US pork exports to Mexico during January equaled 59,254 MT, which was nearly unchanged from the previous month. However, this was up 20.5 percent over a year ago. Mexico was the primary destination for US pork with 28.4 percent of the total exports. During January, the US exported 41,689 MT of pork to Japan. This was little changed from the previous month but was 16.6 percent higher than a year ago. US pork exports to China totaled 35,065 MT, which was down 21.0 percent from the previous month but was up 97.1 percent over a year ago. Pork exports to Canada during January equaled 19,048 MT. This was 6.1 percent more than the previous month and was 46.5 percent more than a year ago.

US beef and veal imports during January equaled 63,783 MT. This was up 22.2 percent over the previous month and was up 28.4 percent over a year ago. More specifically, imports of fresh, chilled beef totaled 27,966 MT, which was 13.9 percent higher than the previous month and was 10.5 percent higher than a year ago. Likewise, imports of frozen beef were 35.0 percent higher than the previous month and were 45.7 percent higher than a year ago, amounting to 33,363 MT. During January, the US imported 19,135 MT of beef from Canada. This was up 5.7 percent over the previous month but was down 3.7 percent from a year ago. Canada was the leading supplier of beef to the US with 30.0 percent of the total imports. Beef imports from Australia during January rose 42.7 percent over December to 18,787 MT. Also, this was 142.8 percent greater than a year ago. During January, the US imported 11,668 MT of beef from New Zealand. Although this was 52.4 percent more than the previous month, it was 5.5 percent less than a year ago. Beef imports from Mexico during January rose 32.9 percent over the previous month and 50.8 percent over a year ago to 6,285 MT.

US pork imports during January equaled 28,206 MT. This was down 5.2 percent from the previous month but was up 4.4 percent over a year ago. Specifically, fresh, chilled pork imports totaled 17,267 MT, which was 4.6 percent lower than the previous month but was 13.2 percent higher than a year ago. Frozen pork imports totaled 6,804 MT, which was 7.3 percent lower than the previous month and was 8.8 percent lower than a year ago. US pork imports from Canada during January equaled 22,996 MT. This was 7.2 percent less than the previous month but was 3.3 percent more than a year ago. Canada was the leading supplier of pork to the US with 81.5 percent of the total imports. During January, the US imported 2,297 MT of pork from Denmark, which was down 3.6 percent from the previous month but was up 6.4 percent over a year ago. To obtain additional data on US trade, visit the FAS website at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gats/.

North America

According to Statistics Canada, during 2011, Canada’s farm cash receipts for Canada’s farmers totaled $49.4 billion, which is up 11.2 percent over 2010. During 2011, livestock receipts increased 8.7 percent over 2010 to $20.6 billion, the largest year-over-year increase since 2001. The increase was due to higher prices. Prices of hogs, cattle and calves began to rise in 2010 and continued to rise throughout 2011. This was mostly because of lower inventories throughout North America and high feed grain prices. Receipts for cattle and calves totaled $6.5 billion, 5.8 percent more than 2010 due to a 20.5 percent increase in prices. Hog receipts during 2011 increased 14.9 percent over 2010 to $3.9 billion due to a price increase of 14.5 percent, the highest level since 2001. To view the detailed the report, go to the Statistics Canada website at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/.

Recently, USDA FAS published data for US lamb, sheep and goat meat trade. The numbers include fresh, chilled and frozen product, as well as carcasses, cuts and bone-in and boneless product. According to the numbers, during the fourth quarter of 2011, US exports of lamb and sheep meat totaled 1,976 MT. This was up 8.7 percent over the previous quarter and was up 34.0 percent over a year ago. During the final quarter, lamb and sheep meat exports to Mexico equaled 921 MT, which was 14.5 percent higher than the previous quarter and was 69.4 percent lower than a year ago. During 2011, US lamb and sheep meat exports to Mexico equaled 3,010 MT, 2.2 percent less than 2010. Mexico was the primary lamb and sheep meat export market for the US with 37.4 percent of the total. During 2011, the US exported 560 MT of lamb and sheep meat to Canada, which was 185.4 percent greater than 2010. Canada was the second largest market for US lamb and sheep meat exports with 7.0 percent of the total. Overall, during 2011, US exports of lamb and sheep meat totaled 8,051 MT, which was 15.6 percent above 2010.

In the meantime, during the fourth quarter of 2011, US lamb and sheep meat imports rose 8.6 percent over the previous quarter to 13,482 MT. However, this was 24.7 percent less than a year ago. Lamb and sheep meat imports from Australia during the final quarter equaled 10,258 MT, which was 23.3 percent higher than the previous quarter but was 18.8 percent lower than a year ago. During 2011, the US imported 42,178 MT of lamb and sheep meat from Australia, which was 3.9 percent less than 2010. Australia was the primary source of US lamb and sheep meat imports with 64.0 percent of the total. During the fourth quarter, US lamb and sheep meat imports from New Zealand fell 22.5 percent from the previous quarter and 40.1 percent from a year ago to 3,111 MT. Total lamb and sheep meat imports from New Zealand during 2011 equaled 23,515 MT, which was slightly less than a year ago. New Zealand was the second leading market with 35.7 percent of the total imports. Overall, during 2011, US total lamb and sheep meat imports were down 2.9 percent from 2010, amounting to 65,925 MT, due to strong currencies from Australia and New Zealand against the US dollar. According to the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), lamb and mutton imports during 2012 are expected to increase because of economic improvements and tight domestic supplies.

Meanwhile, during the final quarter of 2011, US goat meat imports equaled 3,592 MT. This was down 21.6 percent from the previous quarter and was down 17.6 percent from a year ago. US goat meat imports from Australia during the fourth quarter totaled 3,545 MT. This was 19.2 percent lower than the previous quarter and was 17.8 percent lower than a year ago. Total goat meat imports from Australia during 2011 were 17.6 percent greater than 2010, amounting to 15,414 MT. Australia was the leading supplier of goat meat to the US with 97.9 percent of the total imports. Overall, US total goat meat imports during 2011 equaled 15,752 MT, which was 17.1 percent above 2010. Further data can be found on the FAS website http://www.fas.usda.gov/gats/.

Oceania

Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) recently released Australia’s red meat export data for February 2012. According to the statistics, Australia’s beef and veal exports during February totaled 78,704 MT, which was 66.9 percent greater than the previous month and was 2.0 percent greater than February 2011. More specifically, exports of frozen beef equaled 58,474 MT, which accounted for 74.3 percent of the total. Exports of fresh, chilled beef equaled 20,230 MT. Australia’s beef exports to Japan during February rose 39.6 percent over the previous month to 23,456 MT. However, this was 22.0 percent lower than February 2011 due to competition from the US and weaker demand in Japan. Total year-to-date beef exports to Japan were 14.0 percent below a year ago, amounting to 40,255 MT. Japan was Australia’s main beef export market with 32.0 percent of the total. Beef exports to the US during February totaled 23,339 MT, the highest single month volume since June 2010. Also, this was 98.2 percent higher than January and was 70.8 percent higher than February 2011. Year-to-date beef exports to the US totaled 35,114 MT, 78.8 percent greater than last year. During February, Australia exported 9,556 MT of beef to South Korea. This was 42.2 percent more than the previous month but was 37.5 percent less than February 2011. Year-to-date beef exports to South Korea were 29.2 percent lower than a year ago, amounting to 16,278 MT. Overall, Australia’s total year-to-date beef and veal exports equaled 125,872 MT, which was 6.1 percent above the same period a year ago.

During February, Australia exported 14,812 MT of lamb. This was 41.3 percent more than the previous month and was 29.0 percent more than February 2011. Lamb exports to the Middle East during February totaled 2,844 MT, which was 6.7 percent lower than the previous month but was 27.4 percent higher than February 2011. Year-to-date lamb exports to the Middle East totaled 5,890 MT, 33.3 percent above last year. The Middle East was the largest lamb export market for Australia with 23.3 percent of the total. During February, Australia’s lamb exports to the US rose 97.1 percent over January and 17.7 percent over February 2011. Also, this was the single highest monthly volume since May 2010. Total year-to-date lamb exports to the US equaled 5,787 MT, which was 14.5 percent greater than a year ago. Australia’s lamb exports to China during February equaled 2,377 MT. This was 51.3 percent more than the previous month and was 49.6 percent more than February 2011. Additionally, this was the largest monthly volume on record. Year-to-date lamb exports to China reached 3,948 MT, 34.9 percent higher than a year ago. Overall, Australia’s total year-to-date lamb exports equaled 25,291 MT, which was 21.1 percent above the corresponding period a year ago. In the meantime, during February, Australia exported 8,351 MT of mutton. This was up 16.7 percent over January and was up 3.3 percent over February 2011. Mutton exports to the Middle East during February totaled 3,520 MT. Although this was 14.3 percent higher than the previous month, it was 2.8 percent lower than February 2011. Total year-to-date mutton exports to the Middle East were 8.1 percent lower than a year ago, amounting to 6,599 MT. During February, Australia exported 759 MT of mutton to China. This was 9.4 percent higher than the previous month and was 72.1 percent higher than February 2011. Year-to-date mutton exports to China totaled 1,453 MT, 43.3 percent above a year ago. Mutton exports to the US during February fell 28.2 percent from the previous month and 26.6 percent from February 2011 to 497 MT. Year-to-date mutton exports to the US were 18.2 percent less than last year, totaling 1,189 MT. Overall, Australia’s total year-todate mutton exports equaled 15,504 MT, which was slightly higher than the same period a year ago. Additional data on Australia’s red meat exports is available on the DAFF website at http://www.daff.gov.au/.