Exports to Mexico surged in the first half of 2022, making the country the leading market for U.S. pork with increased purchases of hams and shoulders.
Exports have also increased this year in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. In total, pork exports around the globe account for about 26% of pork production so far this year.
2022 First-Half Pork Exports Compared to 2021
Courtney Knupp, NPB’s VP of international market development, said the success of the growing markets is thanks to NPB’s strategic partnership with U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to promote diverse market cuts, including variety meats and muscle cuts.
“Our focus on trading with partners closest to home has paid off,” Knupp said. “For the first half of the year, we continued to get more value per unit. The value we receive for variety meats is hugely beneficial to the overall value and price of the hog.”
First-Half Key Markets in Value and Volume Compared to 2021
Read More About U.S. Pork Markets
Rising Costs Lead to Opportunities for Underutilized U.S. Pork Items
Global prices for meat continue to rise, which brings opportunities to teach consumers how to replace ingredients in traditional dishes with economically priced pork cuts and variety meats.
With funding from the Pork Checkoff, USDA and other checkoff programs including soybean and corn, USMEF hosts programs and workshops for distributors, retail and foodservice vendors in key export markets to teach them new ways to offer economically priced pork options.
→ In Mexico and Central America, USMEF hosts workshops to demonstrate how to grill and cook new and traditional Mexican dishes in a cost-effective way with different U.S. pork cuts and variety meats.
→ In Japan, USMEF promoted U.S. picnics as a high-value cut for traditional dishes like yakiniku, Tonkatsu, pulled pork and ginger pork.
NPB invests in this work because it aligns with the international market development strategy to diversify market cuts and educate existing markets about pork cuts they don’t normally work with.
What Caused the Increase in Retail Pork Prices?
Rising food prices have captured headlines and led to concerns about food affordability and food insecurity. A new study funded by Pork Checkoff dollars seeks to determine the root cause of the increase in retail pork prices.
The study shows from January 2020 to April 2022:
- Domestic retail pork prices increased more than 27%
- Consumer willingness to pay for pork increased about 6%
- Producers’ cost of pork production increased more than 45%
Source: Pork Checkoff
