U.S. pork exports reached new highs for both volume and value in 2024. Export value totaled $8.63 billion, up 6% from the previous record set in 2023. The full-year volume came in at 3.03 million metric tons, up 4% from a year ago and topping the previous high (2.98 million metric tons) reached in 2020.
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom says the increases were driven by diversification of export markets and delivered a value of $66 per head slaughtered on pork.
“We’ve actually had a few months this year where we were over $70 so I think we’re going to continue to look to increase that payback going forward in 2025,” Halstrom says.
December pork exports totaled 267,132 metric tons, slightly below last year’s large volume, while value increased 1% to $771.8 million, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by USMEF.
“Market diversification has been a key goal of the U.S. pork industry for many years, and the resulting broad-based growth has never been more evident than in 2024,” Halstrom says. “While exports to Mexico were record-large for the fourth consecutive year, U.S. pork’s footprint expanded greatly in the Western Hemisphere and made gains in the Asia-Pacific, which bolstered global export totals and pushed export value per head slaughtered to a new high of more than $66.”
Pork exports achieved annual volume and value records in Central America, Colombia, New Zealand, Malaysia and several Caribbean markets. Value records were reached in South Korea, Australia and the Dominican Republic.
“I think we’re well positioned, on the pork side, to see continued growth in 2025,” Halstrom adds. “And like I said, it’s not just Latin America, but it’s a combination of Southeast Asia, Asia and Latin America. So very good spot for us on the pork side.”
Your Next Read: What Are Ohio Pork Producers Doing to Defy the Winter Slump?
