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Slow Holiday Week for U.S. Exports, Net Sales

U.S. beef exports for the week of July 1-7 were slowed by the Independence Day holiday break as exports totaled 11,500 metric tons (mt) – down 13 percent from the previous week and 17 percent below the previous four-week average. Exports declined to all major destinations including Japan (3,890 mt, -22 percent), South Korea (2,660 mt, -20 percent), Mexico (1,480 mt, -1 percent), Canada (1,160 mt, -19 percent), Hong Kong (1,040 mt, -4 percent) and Taiwan (710 mt, -20 percent).

Beef net sales were 12,800 mt, down 17 percent from the previous week and from the previous four-week average. Sales increases to Japan (6,620 mt, +83 percent) and Mexico (2,610 mt, +43 percent) were outweighed by slower sales to Taiwan (1,010 mt, -29 percent), Canada (800 mt, -42 percent), Korea (770 mt, -83 percent) and Hong Kong (600 mt, -67 percent).

U.S. pork exports totaled 15,500 mt, down 22 percent from the previous week and from the previous four-week average. Exports increased to Korea (1,300 mt, +7 percent) and Taiwan (210 mt, +59 percent), but declined to Mexico (5,180 mt, -19 percent), Japan (3,370 mt, -19 percent), China (2,790 mt, -21 percent), Hong Kong (850 mt, -17 percent), Canada (840 mt, -38 percent), Australia (230 mt, -69 percent) and Colombia (200 mt, -44 percent).

Pork net sales were the lowest of 2016 at 6,200 mt – down 62 percent from the previous week and 61 percent below the previous four-week average. Increased sales to Chile (770 mt, +293 percent) and Taiwan (90 mt, +5 percent) were more than offset by slower sales to Japan (2,810 mt, -25 percent), Mexico (2,170 mt, -63 percent), Canada (1,270 mt, -29 percent), Korea (930 mt, -38 percent), Colombia (210 mt, -46 percent), Hong Kong (100 mt, -92 percent) and Australia (40 mt, -81 percent) and corrections that resulted in negative net sales to China (-2,980 mt).

  • Source: USDA/FAS (includes exports and sales of whole muscle cuts).
  • Percent change is compared to the previous four-week average, unless otherwise noted.
  • Export is defined as an actual shipment from the U.S. to a foreign country.
  • Export sale is defined as a transaction entered into between a reporting exporter and a foreign buyer. Sales can be cancelled or adjusted in following weeks, thus “net” sales are reported as the difference between new sales and any cancellations or adjustments.