ANALYSIS: China’s Sept 2024 Meat Imports Slump 4.3% M-o-M; Ends Two-Month Growth Streak

China’s total meat imports, including variety meats fell in September 2024, amounting to 540,543 metric tonnes (mt), according to the latest preliminary figures from the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China. 

On a monthly basis, imports slipped 4.3% (-24,559 mt), partially affected by the shorter working month due to the observance of the Mid-Autumn festivities. 

Annually, imports plummeted by 9.2% (-54,457 mt) in September, marking the eighth consecutive month since the start of the year...

ANALYSIS: Chicken Export Volumes in August

Total chicken exports were up 3.5% from July to August, compared to a 5-year average month-over-month (MoM) change of 4.6%. Of the twenty countries listed in the USDA’s monthly import/export report, thirteen of them had increased MoM export volumes in August, but only seven of them were up year-over-year (YoY). This aligns with the year-long trend of lower export volumes in which the current year-to-date (YTD) value of 4.4 billion lbs. is -8.6% lower YoY and is...

ANALYSIS: US Pork Exports Rise 6.2% Year-Over-Year in August, Led by Central & South American Gains

On Wednesday, the USDA released their August import/export trade data. The latest report reveals mixed results for U.S. pork exports in August. While overall exports saw a slight decline of 1.1% compared to July, they continued to increase by 6.2% year-over-year.

Notable success was achieved in Central America, where exports surged by 5.9% from the previous month and a remarkable 31.3% from last year, driven by strong demand in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, and Guatemala...

Brazil Pork Exports Grow 7.3% in September

Brazil's pork export volume for September 2023 reached 120,400 tonnes, a 7% increase year-on-year, according to data from the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). This marks the second-highest monthly export volume on record, following July 2023’s peak of 138,300 tonnes.

Export revenue rose at an even faster pace, jumping 16% to US $284 million, compared to $245 million in the same month last year. This is also the second-best revenue figure in history. The rise in average...

USMEF Statement on East and Gulf Coast Port Announcement

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) have released a joint statement announcing an end – at least temporarily – to the work stoppage that shut down East and Gulf Coast ports earlier this week.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement:

On behalf of USMEF’s member companies and organizations, I want to thank all parties involved in the effort to get cargo moving again off the East and Gulf Coasts. This is a tremendous relief to everyone...

The Retail Rundown:  Port Strike Sends Shockwaves Throughout Supply Chain 

The strike at East and Gulf Coast ports officially began once the calendar turned to October, following unsuccessful contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).

The strike's impact is being felt throughout the supply chain, causing significant disruptions in the flow of goods ahead of the rapidly approaching holiday season. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, USMX stated that its current offer includes a nearly 50% wage increase. In response, ILA said it has rejected USX's offer "because it fails to address...

Dockworker Strike Highlights Importance of Food Independence

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the impact of the East Coast dockworker strike.

“America is bracing for the impact of the massive dockworker strike that threatens to paralyze traffic of goods in and out of the United States. Our nation relies on international trade for everything from electronics to machinery.

“Families also count on the import of food like bananas, coffee and specialty items, including chocolates and European beer. While there is a risk of shortages of some items...

Hurricane Helene Intensifies U.S. Agriculture Disruptions As Port Strike Officially Starts

Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region on September 26, 2024. The storm caused widespread destruction across the southeastern U.S., with the death toll approaching 125 as of this writing. 

Its damaging winds, storm surge, and flooding led to power outages and infrastructure damage in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas–with the Carolinas seemingly suffering the greatest impacts. Parts of North Carolina are submerged under water, where roads have been washed out and properties have been flattened. As of October 1...

ANALYSIS: Korea Poised for Early Activation of Safeguard Mechanism on Australian Beef Amid US Supply

Australian beef imports into Korea could face a tariff rate increase of 24.0% as the Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG) mechanism is expected to activate earlier than in previous years. Korea's increasing reliance on Australian beef amid dwindling US supply has long suggested an earlier activation of the safeguard tariffs. 

Under the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA), the safeguard volume for this year is set at 188,437 metric tonnes (mt). Any imports exceeding this safeguard volume limit in 2024 will incur a tariff rate of 24.0%...

Biden-Harris Administration Delivers Over $26.7 Billion In Market Access for U.S. Agriculture

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that the Biden-Harris Administration has secured over $26.7 billion in agricultural market access across the globe for America’s farmers, ranchers, fishers, and food manufacturers. Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack have worked to ensure American agriculture can reach global markets and customers around the world...

ANALYSIS: Mexico’s Livestock Trade Deficit Persists Amid Volatile USD:MXD

The Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA) reported that Mexico's livestock trade balance remains in deficit, driven by increasing domestic prices that spurred record beef and pork imports. Between January and July 2024, meat imports totaled 1.67 million tonnes, a 6.3% increase from the same period in 2023.

Homero García de la Llata, president of Mexicos National Confederation of Livestock Organizations (CNOG), pointed out that several problems and weaknesses are affecting livestock farming in Mexico. These include low productivity, limited financing, and a lack of innovation and technology....

ANALYSIS: Production Shortfall Drives New Zealand's Aug 2024 Beef Exports to 10-Month Lows

New Zealand’s August 2024 beef exports totalled 31,741 metric tonnes (mt), hitting the lowest levels since October 2023, according to the latest data from Stats NZ. The volume fell by 18.2% (-7,072 mt) compared to the previous month.

Marking a 10-month low, and falling for the third consecutive month, this decline was primarily driven by New Zealand's two key markets, the United States (US) and China, with smaller drops also seen in markets like Canada, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In-month volumes was also...

ANALYSIS: Mexican Beef Imports and Exports Overview

During 2024, the Mexican beef market experienced its lowest levels of exports to the United States in the past three years. This was a consequence of the strengthening of the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar, which began at the end of 2022 and continued to strengthen throughout 2023 and the first two quarters of 2024. This led to a widespread pattern where bids from U.S. buyers were simply unattractive to Mexican sellers, who preferred to place their product in the domestic market, which offered higher figures...

USMEF Statement on Colombia Fully Reopening to U.S. Beef

With the Colombian government recently lifting its ban on U.S. beef originating from states in which H5N1 was detected in dairy cows, the Export Library for Colombia has been updated to reflect restored access for beef from 14 states.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement:

On behalf of USMEF’s membership, I want to thank the U.S. government, and especially the teams at the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and Food Safety and Inspection...

ANALYSIS: Pork Exports Surged to 10-Year Highs in July

The USDA's latest pork import/export report reveals a robust trend in U.S. pork exports, reaching a decade-high volume of 566,659 thousand pounds in July 2024. This marks an 8.1% increase from the previous month and a significant 12.3% year-over-year growth.

Mexico, a key trade partner, saw a substantial increase in U.S. pork imports, with a 25.6% month-over-month and 25.9% year-over-year surge, potentially driven by HPAI restrictions impacting US poultry exports, which has since begun to ease... 

ANALYSIS: China Set to Trigger Safeguard Mechanism on Australian Beef Imports for the 5th Time

Australian beef imports into China may soon face a 12.0% Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rate, as the Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG) mechanism is set to trigger for the fifth time.

Following previous activations in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023, this tariff applies for the remainer of the year if imports from Australia exceed 178,418 mt in 2024.

Based on the data from the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, imports from Australia at the end of July...

ANALYSIS: Australia's Aug 2024 Beef Exports Dip from Record Highs; US-Bound Volumes at 9-Year High

Australia's August 2024 beef and veal exports scaled back from record highs to 121,797 metric tonnes (mt), the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF) revealed.

Volumes shed 6.3% (-8,201 mt) from July’s all time high of 129,998 mt. This decline was primarily driven by reduced exports to major clients such as Japan, China, and Korea, despite continued strength in exports to the tight United States (US) market.

Annually, exports surged by 19.0% (+19,446 mt), driven by increased... 

ANALYSIS: New Zealand's July 2024 Beef Exports Record 19.6% M-O-M Decline; Exports to China Nosedive

New Zealand’s beef exports in July 2024 amounted to 40,046 metric tonnes (mt), falling 19.6% or 9,734 mt compared to the same period last month, data from Stats NZ indicated.

Notable decreases were seen in exports to the United States (US) and China, in line with seasonal production patterns and lower cattle numbers. Year-on-year (y-o-y), exports fell 13.8% or 6,427 mt. Higher exports to the key Japanese, Canadian and Korean markets helped to mitigate further falls... 

USMEF Chair Sees Potential for U.S. Red Meat in Indonesia

USMEF Chair Randy Spronk joined a team of representatives from the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) to meet with prospective buyers and study market opportunities for U.S. soybeans and red meat in Indonesia. USMEF member ISA, which has developed strong trade relationships providing soy protein in Indonesia, coordinated with USMEF staff on the day-long event.

USMEF ASEAN Director Sabrina Yin and Indonesia Representative Arrofi Satrio Alam set up a meet-and-greet for the ISA group with Indonesian meat importers and presented a...

ANALYSIS: China's July 2024 Beef Imports Rebound; Ebbing Economy Slashes Yearly Growth by 27%

China’s July beef imports rebounded 3.2% month-on-month (m-o-m) from June’s 13-month low at 215,322 metric tonnes (mt), according to the data released by the General Administration of Customs People's Republic of China.  

This growth was led largely by higher imports from its key suppliers such as Brazil, Australia, the United States (US) and Uruguay. Earlier in June 2024, volumes plunged to a 13-month low, falling to 208,718 mt. 

The higher July beef import figures were in line with the...