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USMEF: Mexico, Central America, Asian markets fuel September beef export growth

Exports of U.S. beef totaled 103,980 mt in September, up 5% year-over-year, while export value climbed 6% to $843.8 million, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). January-September exports increased 5% in value to $7.82 billion, despite volume falling 2% to 960,814 mt.

Posted on Nov 13 ,00:15

With the exception of China/Hong Kong, September beef exports trended higher than a year ago in all major Asian markets, while demand remained strong in Mexico and shipments to Central America were the largest in 18 months.

"The tourism rebound in Asia has certainly provided momentum for U.S. beef, especially in Japan, Taiwan and Korea", said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. "We also saw impressive growth in the Philippines and Indonesia, which are markets where we see a lot of untapped growth potential".

Mexico was the leading volume market for U.S. beef exports in September, with shipments climbing 20% from a year ago to 19,692 mt. Export value was 19% above last year at $112.1 million.

January-September exports to Mexico were up 13% to 173,283 mt, while value increased 17% to just over $1 billion. This included 92,465 mt of variety meat exports, up 17% year-over-year, while the value of these items increased 10% to just under $250 million. This included about $73 million of beef tripe, $69 million of lips and $34 million of hearts.

After a slow start in 2024, beef exports to Taiwan rebounded impressively in the second and third quarters. This trend continued in September, with exports climbing 36% from a year ago to 4,702 mt, valued at $53.3 million, up 33%. These results pulled January-September exports to Taiwan to within 1% of last year’s pace in volume (47,371 mt), while value increased 8% to $525.1 million.

September beef exports to Japan totaled 19,249 mt, up 10% from a year ago, while value increased 6% to $145.8 million. Through September, exports to Japan were slightly ahead of last year’s pace at 188,885 mt (up 1%), while value climbed 5% to $1.46 billion.

Other January-September results for U.S. beef exports include:

• Beef exports to South Korea totaled 18,080 mt in September, up slightly from a year ago, while value climbed 10% to $175.5 million. Korea is the leading value market for U.S. beef exports and January-September shipments increased 2% from a year ago to $1.6 billion, despite a 10% decline in volume (169,145 mt).
• September beef exports to Central America were the largest since March 2023 at 2,050 mt, up 15% from a year ago, while value increased 7% to $15 million. January-September exports to the region increased 4% to 15,702 mt, valued at $114.9 million (up 9%), including sharply higher shipments to Panama and significant growth to Guatemala. Guatemala is the leading Central American market for U.S. beef and shipments are expected to be record large in 2024 for the second consecutive year, at higher unit export prices.   
• Led by a sharp increase in Cuba – which mostly takes canned product – and steady shipments to the Dominican Republic, September beef exports to the Caribbean increased 7% from a year ago to 2,220 mt, while value was up 10% to $19.2 million. January-September exports increased 21% to 24,474 mt, valued at $206.3 million (up 9%).  Beef exports are on a record pace to the DR, Cuba, Netherlands Antilles, Leeward-Windward Islands and Turks and Caicos.  
• Significant growth in the Philippines and the largest shipments to Indonesia in more than two years pushed September beef exports to the ASEAN region to 4,488 mt, up 28% from a year ago, while value soared 51% to $35.7 million. Through September, beef exports to the ASEAN increased 2% to 30,951 mt, while value soared an impressive 40% to $257.3 million. Exports to the Philippines, the leading ASEAN market for U.S. beef, have been above year-ago levels for six consecutive months.
• While beef export volume to the Middle East trended lower in September (3,585 mt, down 3% from a year ago), value still increased 16% to $21 million. January-September exports to the region were up 26% from a year ago in both volume (40,086 mt) and value ($185.2 million). This included a rebound in beef variety meat shipments to Egypt (28,613 mt, up 21%) and larger muscle cut exports to the United Arab Emirates (4,257 mt, up 43%), Kuwait (2,208 mt, up 105%) and Qatar (1,923 mt, up 112%).
• September exports of U.S. beef variety meat totaled 24,257 mt, up 9% from a year ago, while value fell 3% to $88.3 million. For January through September, beef variety meat exports were 1% higher in volume (215,093 mt) and steady in value ($838.3 million). In addition to the growth in Mexico, variety meat exports increased to Japan, Egypt, China, Canada, Peru, Chile, Gabon, Jamaica, Morocco, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, Panama and Vietnam.
• Beef export value equated to $412.52 per head of fed slaughter in September, up 3% from a year ago. The January-September average was $414.62 per head, up 5%. September exports accounted for 13.8% of total September beef production, up from 13.4% last year, while the percentage of muscle cuts exported held steady at 11.3%. For January through September, exports accounted for 13.9% of total production and 11.6% for muscle cuts, each down slightly from a year ago.

September lamb exports lowest of 2024

Exports of U.S. lamb reached just 167 mt in September, down 32% from a year ago and the lowest this year. Export value was $853,000, down 27%. Despite this slowdown, January-September lamb exports were 13% above a year ago at 2,113 mt, while value increased 17% to $11.1 million. Shipments trended higher than a year ago to the Caribbean, Mexico, the Philippines, Guatemala and Taiwan. Lamb exports to Mexico are on pace to be the largest since 2019, while shipments to the Bahamas are the strongest since since 2011.

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