U.S. beef exports for the week of Oct. 23-29 totaled 12,100 metric tons (mt), down 2 percent from the previous week, but 1 percent above the previous four-week average. Exports were mixed with increases for South Korea (2,700 mt, +18 percent) and Canada (1,000 mt, +14 percent) while exports to Taiwan remained steady (610 mt). Exports decreased to Japan (2,600 mt, -8 percent), Hong Kong (2,500 mt, -7 percent) and Mexico (1,600 mt, -13 percent).

Beef net sales were 3,200 mt, up noticeably from the previous week but down 60 percent from the previous four-week average. Increases were reported for Japan (2,300 mt, +137 percent after last week’s corrections) and Taiwan (1,700 mt, +273 percent and the highest since June). However, sales slowed to Mexico (1,000 mt, -44 percent), South Korea (800 mt, -68 percent) and Canada (700 mt, -34 percent), and corrections resulted in negative net sales for Hong Kong (-3,550 mt).

Net sales for 2016 delivery were reported for Hong Kong (3,800 mt), Japan (3,000 mt), Mexico (800 mt) and Taiwan (500 mt).

U.S. pork exports totaled 19,800 mt, up 1 percent from the previous week and 9 percent above the previous four-week average. Exports increased to most major destinations including Mexico (7,000 mt, +19 percent), Japan (3,860 mt, +1 percent), Korea (2,110 mt, +8 percent), Canada (1,910, +28 percent), China (1,570, +31 percent), Hong Kong (760 mt, +3 percent), Australia (480 mt, +51 percent) and Chile (390 mt, +3 percent). Exports to Colombia (480 mt) were steady and exports decreased to Taiwan (250 mt, -26 percent).

Pork net sales were 10,700 mt, down 42 percent from the previous week and 35 percent below the previous four-week average. Increases to Australia (1,960 mt, +776 percent and the largest since June), Hong Kong (1,390 mt, +508 percent and the largest since August ) and Colombia (780 mt, +136 percent) were more than offset by lower volumes for Mexico (4,290 mt, -11 percent), Japan (2,340 mt, -32 percent), Chile (3 mt, -98 percent) and Taiwan (1 mt, -98 percent), and corrections resulted in negative net sales for Canada (-76 mt), China (-256 mt) and Korea (-780 mt).

Net sales for 2016 delivery were reported for Japan (600 mt) and South Korea (300 mt).

NOTES:

• 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.