American Beef Export Trade Stats: April 2020
Beef Highlights:
April 2020:
Beef : 78,087 mt, -3%, $534 million -11%
BVM: 20,526 mt, -16%, $67 million, -13%
Beef + BVM: 98,613 mt, -6%, $601 million, -11%
January – April 2020:
Beef: 331,972 mt, +7%, $2.338 billion, +3%
BVM: 101,344 mt, -1%, $318 million, +2%
Beef + BVM: 433,316 mt, +5%, $2.657 billion, +3%
Following an increase of 11% in the first quarter, beef muscle cut exports were 78,100 mt in April, down 3% or -2,800 mt from last year on tighter production/higher prices and lockdown disruptions/slower foodservice in import markets. Japan was the top growth market compared to last year (+8,500 mt), and exports were also higher year-over-year to Canada (+2,900 mt) and China/HK (+850mt), but exports were lower to other main markets: Mexico (-7,400 mt), Korea (-2,700 mt), the ASEAN (-1,300 mt), the Caribbean + DR (-1,100 mt), the Middle East (-900 mt), South America (-800 mt), the EU (-600 mt), Central America (-100 mt), and Taiwan (-30 mt). Exports to Japan (27,683 mt, +45%) were the second highest since BSE after August 2018, and exports to Canada (10,007 mt, +41%) were the highest since June 2017. Combined exports to China/HK were 6,671 mt, up 15% from last year and above the lows of 4,400 mt in Feb-Mar (the lowest since 2012) with a bit of a rebound to HK (5,350 mt, +5%) and further growth to China (1,321 mt, +82% and the second highest monthly volume to China after December 2019). Exports to Korea (18,680 mt, -13%) dropped below year-ago levels for the first time this year in April, and exports to Taiwan (5,093 mt) were steady. Exports to Mexico (4,457 mt, -63%) dropped sharply to the lowest level since 2004, but in Central America, exports were higher year-over-year to Guatemala (328 mt, +16%) and Costa Rica (152 mt, +22%), although exports were down significantly to the Dominican Republic (91 mt, -85% and the lowest since 2009). Exports were lower to the main ASEAN markets: Vietnam (853 mt, -4%), the Philippines (631 mt, -58%), Indonesia (263 mt, -53%), and Singapore (192 mt, -25%). Exports also decreased to Chile (650 MT, -33%) and the UAE (185 mt, -67% and the lowest since 2009). Exports were lower to the Bahamas (149 mt, -52%) and dropped sharply to other tourism-dependent markets in the Caribbean (like Jamaica with just 3 mt), but exports increased to Trinidad and Tobago (176 mt, +26%).
April beef variety meat exports totaled 20,526 mt, down 16% or -3,900 mt from last year and the lowest since 2010. Exports were higher than last year to Africa (+1,800 mt), China/HK (+160 mt), Canada (+80 mt), the Russia region (+60 mt), and South America (+50 mt), while exports were lower to Mexico (-1,700 my), the Middle East (-1,500 mt), Japan (-1,400 mt), Korea (-480 mt), the Caribbean + DR (-430 mt), the ASEAN (-420 mt), and Central America (-30 mt). Exports to Mexico (5,674 mt, -23%) dropped to the lowest level since 2013, but it was still the top destination for BVM exports. Exports Japan (3,597 mt, -28%) have been below year-ago levels each month since January, but April exports held at March levels. Exports to Egypt (3,193 mt, -33%) were down 27% from March and were at the lowest level since 2005. Exports to Hong Kong (1,549 mt, +9%) continued to rebound and were the highest since last March. Exports to South Africa (1,473 mt, +701%) maintained momentum although they were down from the large volume of 2,349 mt in March. Exports were also higher to Angola (405 mt, +93%), Cote d’Ivoire (288 mt, up significantly), and Gabon (272 mt, +75%). Exports were higher to Canada (843 mt, +10%), but exports to Korea (731 mt, -40%) dropped to the lowest level since 2016. In the ASEAN region, exports were higher to Indonesia (706 mt, +18%) but were lower the Philippines (119 mt, -76%). Exports to Peru (528 mt, -10%) were up 15% from March but were lower year-over-year, while exports were higher to Chile (195 mt, +61%) and Colombia (163 mt, +77%). Exports to Jamaica (317 mt, -45%) were up 38% from March although they were lower year-over-year.
For January – April, total beef and variety meat exports were up 20,800 mt from last year with increases to Japan (+15,900 mt), Canada (+8,000 mt), Africa (+5,700 mt), Korea (+4,600 mt), Taiwan (+2,300 mt), Central America (+520 mt), the ASEAN (+200 mt), South America (+130 mt), and the Russia region (+80 mt). Exports were lower to Mexico (-6,800 mt), the Middle East (-4,200 mt), China/HK (-3,800 mt), the Caribbean + DR (-1,500 mt), and the EU (-330 mt).
April beef exports accounted for 13.5% of production and 15.9% when adding variety meats, as compared to 11.1% and 13.5% in April 2019. January – April exports accounted for 11.9% of beef production and 14.4% when adding variety meats, up from 11.2% and 13.8% last year. With the sharp pullback in production in April, the combined beef and variety meat export share was the highest since 2011, and the share of beef muscle cut exports was a new high.
April beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $363.35/head, up $57.75/head or +19% from $305.61/head for April 2019 and a new monthly record. January – April export value per head averaged $326.47/head, up $15.98/head or +5% from $310.49/head last year.
Source: USMEF
