With only one month yet to be recorded for 2012, pork exports continue to top 2011 levels by 2 percent in volume (2,075,974 mt) and 5 percent in value ($5.8 billion), while totals for November declined 7.7 percent in volume and 5.4 percent in value versus last year. It is important to note, however, that November 2011 ranks as the second-best month in history (behind October 2012) for U.S. pork exports.

“Volume has been an issue for beef exports all year,” noted USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “That continued in November, but an appreciated value of those products has helped the industry hold its own in a challenging year.”

Beef exports to price-sensitive markets like Mexico are down this year, but the value of exports to premium markets like Japan (up 19 percent for the year) and Canada (up 13 percent) continue to grow even as volumes remain low.

Another positive for beef exporters is the rebound of the Taiwan market, which was once a top five U.S. beef export market but was hindered for most of this year by ractopamine-related barriers that have since been resolved. In November, the value of beef sales to Taiwan jumped 13.7 percent over last year on slightly reduced volumes. For the year, exports to Taiwan are down 48 percent in volume and 40 percent in value, but recent numbers are encouraging for 2013. Pork exports to Taiwan, however, continue to be affected by Taiwanese restrictions on products with ractopamine residues.

“There is no question that rising production costs and slowing economic growth have kept buyers on the sidelines or moved them toward less expensive options,” said Seng. He noted that higher domestic meat production in certain markets (such as Korea, Japan and China) also have affected exports this year. Market access issues – such as Indonesia’s tighter import quotas aimed at boosting domestic production and Saudi Arabia’s closure due to BSE – have also impacted exports.

“While volumes are lower, the quality and reputation of U.S. red meat products have helped support higher values, and that is not a statement that most of our competitors in the international marketplace can make,” he said.

Year-to-date, U.S. pork exports account for 27 percent of total production (23.5 percent for just muscle cuts) and the per-head export value is $56.12 – up 3 percent from last year. Beef exports account for 12.6 percent of total production (9.8 percent for just muscle cuts) with a per-head value of $214.64, up 5 percent from last year.

The value of exports was the positive news for the U.S. lamb industry in November. The volume of American lamb sales internationally has been down throughout the year: declining 27 percent for the first 11 months and 22.3 percent in November. While the value of those exports also has been down for the year (-13 percent), it jumped 12.4 percent in November on the strength of strong sales to the top lamb export market, Mexico.