The latest US livestock and meat trade data recorded a decline in US pork exports in the month of December with total US pork exports at 561.3 million pounds, down 16.7m pounds from a month earlier however up 29.7m pounds over December of the previous year. US pork exports for 2022 finished the year down 692.8m pounds or -9.9% under 2021, largely attributed to the strong export rates recorded in the front-half of 2021.
Many major destinations for US pork recorded decreases on the year, China especially however also Japan, the Philippines, Australia and Canada. US pork to mainland China was down 540.0 million pounds for the year, bringing China* overall 558.7m pounds or -46.3% under 2021. Japan dropped 140.9m pounds or -11.5% lower for 2022, while the Philippines imported 108.2m pounds less which is a -53.7% drop from the tally for 2021. US pork to Australia decreased by 66.9m pounds or -38.4% on the year, while Canada was down 60.2m pounds or -10.5% under the 2021 total. Increased US pork exports to places such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic helped to offset declines to other countries. US pork to Mexico rose 278.9m pounds or +13.5% over 2021, while the Dominican Republic increased by 76.4m pounds or +44.2% on the year.
Total US pork imports in December fell 4.1m pounds or -4.1% from the month previous, bringing the latest imports 20.7m pounds or -17.8% under the strong levels recorded in 2021. Compared to 2021, US pork imports rose 163.7m pounds, an increase of +13.9% for 2022 on high import levels recorded earlier in the year. Pork imports from Canada increased by 1.3m pounds or +2.0% on the month, bringing imports from Canada down 3.2m pounds or -4.5% under last year. Notably, the US imported 23.7m pounds more pork from Canada than it exported to the country for the month of December.
