American Beef Export Trade Stats: January 2020
Beef Highlights
January 2020:
Beef: 81,342 mt, +4%, $589 million +5%
BVM: 26,032 mt, -2%, $83 million, +2%
Beef + BVM: 107,374 mt, +2.5%, $673 million, +5%
U.S. beef muscle cut exports were the highest for the month of January in 2020 at 81,342 mt, up 4% or +3,200 mt from the previous year. Beef muscle cut exports were higher to most regions including Taiwan (+1,010 mt), the ASEAN (+860 mt), Canada (+480 mt), China/HK (+340 mt), the EU (+310 mt), Central America (+290 mt), the Caribbean + DR (+200 mt), and Korea (+170 mt), and exports were steady to slightly higher to Mexico, South America, Africa, and the Russia region. Exports were down 2% for both Japan (-500 mt) and the Middle East (-20 mt). Although exports to Japan (20,778 mt) were down 2% from last year, they were the highest since August. Exports to Korea (16,755 mt, +1%) were up slightly from last year, and exports to Mexico (12,554 mt) were steady. Exports to Canada (8,742 mt, +6%) were the highest since last May. Exports to China/HK combined totaled 6,883 mt, up 5% from 2019, but seasonally lower from the ramp up in exports last fall/winter. Exports were higher to both Hong Kong (6,031 mt, +5%) and China (852 mt, +6%) year-over-year, but exports to China were the lowest since last May. Taiwan was the year-over-year growth leader, with January exports up 24% from last year at 5,225 mt. For the ASEAN region, growth was led by Indonesia (1,005 mt, +82%), Vietnam (909 mt, +89% but the lowest since July), and Singapore (428 mt, +47% and the fifth highest monthly volume). Exports to the Philippines (1,104 mt, -13%) were the highest since October, but were lower year-over-year. Exports to Guatemala, the top market in Central America, set a new record at 734 mt, up 58% from last year. Exports were also higher to the DR (610 mt, +15%). For South America, exports remained at a more sluggish pace to Chile (484 mt, -25%) after slowing in December, but exports to Colombia (430 mt, +50%) were the fourth highest on record. Exports were higher to the top two markets in the Caribbean: the Bahamas (318 mt, +47%) and Netherlands Antilles (224 mt, +11%). In the Middle East, exports to the UAE were steady year-over-year at 417 mt.
January beef variety meat export volume was down 2% or -600 mt from 2019 to 26,032 mt, but value was up 2% (with higher unit export values to major destinations like Mexico, the Middle East, Japan, Korea, and Canada). Exports were higher to the Middle East (+890 mt), Mexico (+780 mt), Africa (+170 mt), Canada (+80 mt), and South America (+40 mt). Exports were lower year-over-year to the ASEAN (-980 mt), China/HK (-620 mt), Central America (-310 mt), Korea (-280 mt), Japan (-220 mt), and the Caribbean (-140 mt). Exports to top market Mexico (9,438 mt, +9%) were higher year-over-year, and exports also increased to Canada (659 mt, +14%). Exports to Egypt (5,403 mt, +19%) were above last year’s low level in January. Exports slowed to Japan (4,427 mt, -5%), Korea (1,039 mt, -21%), and Hong Kong (678 mt, -48% and the lowest since January 2017). Exports also slowed to the ASEAN region with decreases for both Indonesia (825 mt, -39%) and the Philippines (134 mt, -76%). For Africa, exports were higher to Angola (573 mt, +102%) and Cote d’Ivoire (130 mt, +165%), while exports were steady to South Africa (510 mt) and Gabon (452 mt). In South America, increases to Peru (555 mt, +10% and the highest since July) and Chile (148 mt, +41%) offset lower exports to Colombia (131 mt, -23%). Exports to Jamaica (188 mt, -45%) dropped to the lowest level since June 2017.
Total beef/bvm exports in January were up 2,600 mt, led by growth to Taiwan (+1,010 mt), the Middle East (+870 mt), Mexico (+800 mt), Canada (+560 mt), the EU (+310 mt), Africa (+180 mt), Caribbean + DR (+60 mt), and South America (+50 mt). Exports were lower to Japan (-720 mt), China/HK (- 280 mt), the ASEAN (-120 mt), South Korea (-110 mt), and Central America (-30 mt).
January beef exports accounted for 10.6% of production and 13.1% when adding variety meats, as compared to 10.6% and 13.2% in January 2019.
January beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $302.93/head, up $9.92/head or +3% from $293.01/head for January 2019.
SOURCE: USMEF
