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Audio: Regional Director Discusses Record-large Pork Exports to Mexico

Published: Feb 16, 2014
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You may download the audio file here




When year-end export totals were recently announced for U.S. pork, Mexico clearly stood out as a top performer. Pork exports to Mexico set a new monthly record in December with nearly 65,000 metric tons valued at $133.3 million. This pushed Mexico’s year-end totals to record heights for the second year in a row, increasing 4 percent in volume (625,475 mt) and 8 percent in value ($1.22 billion) over 2012, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by USMEF.

Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic, discusses these results in more detail in the attached audio report. He explains that USMEF has focused on improving consumer attitudes toward pork and educating consumers through supermarket promotions. This has allowed U.S. pork to expand beyond Mexico’s processing sector and find success in retail and foodservice as well.

TRANSCRIPT:

Joe Schuele: In this U.S. Meat Export Federation report, we focus on pork exports to Mexico, which clearly stood out as a top performer when year-end 2013 results were announced last week. December exports set a new monthly record pushing Mexico’s year-end totals to record heights for the second year in a row. Chad Russell, USMEF regional director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic, has more details.

Chad Russell: We believe there is still upward growth in the Mexican pork market. The demand down there is very strong, and pork is relatively well priced compared to beef. So consumers over the past five years or so have shifted to pork and poultry in terms of their protein preference. I don’t see anything that would change that trend moving forward into 2014. U.S. Pork is obviously very high quality and meat consumers like it and they are speaking on their purchases and they are purchasing more U.S. pork almost every year.

Joe Schuele: As Russell explains USMEF has focused on improving consumer attitudes towards pork through super market promotions and educational information. This has allowed us pork to expand beyond Mexico’s processing sector and find success in retail and food service as well.

Chad Russell: We also are leveraging that favorable market conditions by a very effective consumer campaign where we are encouraging an increase in per capita consumption of pork to housewives, a very targeted group of identified key players in the market place, we’re also working on 500 supermarkets where every day we have in those super markets point of sale materials, recipes, because many of the Mexican consumers not only like the flavor of pork but do not know how to prepare it very well, so that is a complete element of that strategy as well. so it’s a very integrated program that we think so far based on the survey data that we have it has been very effective in moving people to eating more pork and a lot of that of course is U.S. Pork.

Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, I’m Joe Schuele.