U.S. beef exports for the week of June 10-16 reached a 2016 high 14,900 metric tons (mt), up 12 percent from the previous week and 15 percent above the previous four-week average. Exports to Asia were the largest since October 2014 at more than 11,000 mt, fueled by a record volume to South Korea (3,770 mt, +36 percent) and strong results for Japan (5,180 mt, +11 percent and the largest since April), Hong Kong (1,280 mt, +11 percent) and Taiwan (960 mt, +21 percent and the largest since April). Exports also increased to Canada (1,490 mt, +20 percent) but were modestly lower for Mexico (1,570 mt, -2 percent).

Beef net sales were 16,200 mt, up 7 percent from the previous week and 36 percent above the previous four-week average. Increased sales to Japan (6,450 mt, +84 percent), Hong Kong (3,320 mt, +451 percent and the largest since January), Mexico (1,570 mt, +20 percent) and Canada (1,290 mt, +2 percent) outweighed slower sales to Korea (1,870 mt, -47 percent) and Taiwan (1,090 mt, -11 percent).

U.S. pork exports totaled 19,100 mt, down 10 percent from the previous week and 5 percent below the previous four-week average. Increased exports to Mexico (6,150 mt, +2 percent), China (4,140 mt, +11 percent), Canada (1,270 mt, +2 percent), Hong Kong (1,160 mt, +21 percent) and the Philippines (210 mt, +45 percent) were more than offset by decreases to Japan (3,810 mt, -3 percent), Korea (1,100 mt, -30 percent), Australia (570 mt, -42 percent) and Colombia (280 mt, -31 percent).

Pork net sales were 20,100 mt, up 52 percent from the previous week and 22 percent above the previous four-week average. Sales increased to most major destinations including Mexico (7,660 mt, +121 percent and the largest since early May), Japan (4,530 mt, +24 percent and the largest since April), Korea (3,990 mt, +217 percent and the largest since February), Hong Kong (1,850 mt, +11 percent), Canada (1,330 mt, +14 percent) and the Philippines (250 mt, +26 percent). Sales slowed to Colombia (160 mt, -34 percent) and corrections resulted in negative net sales for China (-50 mt) and Australia (-100 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.