pork exports

Pork exports shot to $4 billion at the end of July, the first time cumulative sales hit that level in so short a time, says the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Exports from January through July equaled 28 percent of U.S. production, up 2 percent from 2013, said the federation. "U.S. prices began to moderate in August, so these price gaps have now been narrowed or eliminated. Going forward, this should relieve some of the price pressure on U.S. exporters.” said Philip Seng, chief executive of the trade group.

China barred pork imports from six U.S. processing plants and six cold storage facilities as part of its ban on the feed additive ractopamine, which helps hogs gain weight more rapidly, said Reuters.

Hog farmers are obliged to report outbreaks of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and work with offiicials to combat the disease and prevent its spread, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced at the World Pork Expo.

China, the world's largest producer and consumer of pork, recovered from an epidemic of African swine fever among his pig herds by late 2021, three years after its first reported outbreak of the disease. Yet the domestic pork market remains volatile, "which may create additional uncertainty among pork exporters," said three USDA economists in a new report.