US pork exports down from year ago - USMEF
February pork exports totaled 241,179 metric tons
10 April 2025
2 minute read
By: February exports of US pork were moderately lower than a year ago, despite continued success in Mexico and Central America, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
February pork exports totalled 241,179 metric tons (mt), down 4% from the large year-ago volume, while value fell 2% to $671.5 million. For the first two months of 2025, pork exports were 3% below last year’s record pace at 485,144 mt, with value down 2% to $1.34 billion.
“I can’t say enough about the tremendous demand for US pork in Mexico and Central America, where the US industry continues to move a wider range of center-of-the-plate cuts to a variety of end users,” said USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom.
“Unfortunately, the strong performance there has been offset by a slow start to the year in Japan and South Korea," Halstrom added. "And although February shipments to China were slightly above last year, exports may have been larger if not for the uncertainty over plant eligibility, which wasn’t resolved until mid-March.”
In February and March of this year, many US pork, beef and poultry plants and cold storage facilities were due for a five-year eligibility renewal by China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC). Pork and poultry plants were renewed on the March 16 expiration date, but GACC still has not renewed the eligibility of any US beef establishments, and the majority of US beef production is now ineligible for China.
