Beef Highlights:

August 2023:
Beef: 85,864 mt, -20%; $785 million, -16%
BVM: 23,136 mt, -11%; $99 million, -5%
Beef + BVM: 109,000 mt, -19%; $884 million, -15%

January – August 2023:
Beef: 691,332 mt, -14%, $5.946 billion, -19.5%
BVM: 190,011 mt, -6%; $744 million, -12%
Beef + BVM: 881,343 mt, -12%; $6.691 billion, -19%

August beef muscle cut exports totaled 85,864 mt, down 20% or -21,850 mt from last year. Compared to last year, beef muscle cut exports were higher to Mexico (+1,320 mt), Central America (+340 mt), EU27 + UK (+250), Caribbean + DR (+140 mt), South America (+70 mt). Exports were lower to China/HK (-9,120 mt), Korea (-5,450 mt), Japan (-4,580 mt), ASEAN (-2,570 mt), Middle East (-1,300 mt), Canada (-560 mt), and Taiwan (-450 mt). Exports to Mexico (9,290 mt, +16%) were the highest level this year, while exports to Canada (8,390 mt, -6%) were below year-ago levels after three consecutive months of being above year-ago levels. Exports to Korea (18,320 mt, -23%) and Japan (17,420 mt, -21%) were lower year-over-year. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 17,230 mt and were down 35% from the record high total last year. Exports were below year-ago levels for both China (14,680 mt, -38%) and Hong Kong (2,550 mt, -8%). Exports to the Philippines (410 mt, -78%) were the lowest level since December 2016 and exports were also below year-ago levels to Indonesia (990 mt, -31%), Singapore (360 mt, -5%) and Vietnam (230 mt -71%), bringing exports to the ASEAN (2,180 mt, -54%) lower year-over-year. Exports to Taiwan (5,550 mt, -7.5%) were below year-ago levels following three consecutive months of above year-ago levels. Exports to the Caribbean + DR (2,040 mt, +7%) were the second highest level this year and the highest since March, led by higher year-over-year exports to the Dominican Republic (810 mt, +13% and the second highest this year), the Bahamas (340 mt, +33% and the highest since February 2020), and Jamaica (190 mt, +29% and the highest since March) that were able to offset lower year-over-year exports to the Netherlands Antilles (250 mt, -7%), Trinidad and Tobago (110 mt, -35%), and the Leeward-Windward Islands (100 mt, -3%). Exports to Guatemala (980 mt, +70%) were the second highest on record, only 40 mt behind the record held in November 2021, and exports were also above year-ago levels to El Salvador (90 mt, +54%), and these exports were able to offset lower year-over-year exports to Costa Rica (210 mt, -19%), Panama (150 mt, -24%), and Honduras (50 mt, -10% and the lowest level since October 2022), bringing exports to Central America (1,480 mt, +29.5%) above year-ago levels for the first time this year. Exports to South America were also above year-ago levels for the first time this year, driven by higher year-over-year exports to Colombia (440 mt, +7%), which were the highest since January, and exports to Chile (340 mt, +37%), which were the highest so far this year. Exports to the EU27 + UK (1,940 mt, +15%) were higher year-over-year, while exports to the Middle East (800 mt, -62%) were below year-ago levels and the lowest level since February.

August beef variety meat exports totaled 23,136 mt, down 11% or -2,982 mt from last year. Exports were higher than last year to Mexico (+1,300 mt), Korea (+640 mt), Africa (+280 mt), Central America (+180 mt), and South America (+20 mt). Exports were lower to China/HK (-2,700 mt), Middle East (-1,500 mt), ASEAN (-540 mt), Caribbean + DR (-370 mt), Japan (-280 mt), and Canada (-40 mt). Exports to Mexico (9,390 mt, +16%) were above year-ago levels for the eighth consecutive month, while exports to Canada (450 mt, -9%) were lower year-over-year and the lowest level since February 2022. Exports to Korea (1,420 mt, +82.5%) were above year-ago levels for the seventh consecutive month, while exports to Japan (3,690 mt, -7%) and the ASEAN (920 mt, -37%) were below year-ago levels. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 1,760 mt and were the lowest level since January with exports to China (1,280 mt, -68%) lower year-over-year, while exports to Hong Kong (490 mt, +4%) were slightly above year-ago levels. Exports to Chile (150 mt, -39%) were lower year-over-year, while exports to Peru (660 mt, +10%) were the second highest level this year and exports to Colombia (390 mt, +3.5%) were the highest level since June 2022, resulting in exports to South America (1,290 mt, +2%) reaching the highest level since June 2022. Exports to Central America (290 mt, +171%) were above year-ago levels, while exports to the Caribbean + DR (410 mt, -47%) were lower year-over-year. Exports were above year-ago levels to South Africa (560 mt, +11%), but the lowest level since November 2022, Cote d’Ivoire (310 mt, +6%), and Gabon (290 mt, up from 0 mt), resulting in exports to Africa (1,370 mt, +25%) being above year-ago levels, but the lowest level since November 2022. Exports to the Middle East (2,090 mt, -42%) continue to be below year-ago levels throughout 2023.

January – August beef muscle cut + beef variety meat exports totaled 881,343 mt, down 12% or -122,960 mt from last year. Exports were higher to Mexico (+19,400 mt), Africa (+6,000 mt), EU27 + UK (+1,120 mt), and Canada (+620 mt). Exports were lower to Japan (-42,700 mt), China/HK (-36,650 mt), Korea (-26,910 mt), Middle East (-18,140 mt), ASEAN (-16,630 mt), South America (-4,240 mt), Taiwan (-3,240 mt), Caribbean + DR (-1,120 mt), and Central America (-520 mt).

January – July beef muscle cut + beef variety meat exports totaled 772,343 mt, down 11% or -98,128 mt from last year. Exports were higher to Mexico (+16,790 mt), Africa (+5,710 mt), Canada (+1,210 mt), and EU27 + UK (+850 mt). Exports were lower to Japan (-37,850 mt), China/HK (-24,830 mt), Korea (-22,110 mt), Middle East (-15,340 mt), ASEAN (-13,510 mt), South America (-4,330 mt), Taiwan (-2,820 mt), Central America (-1,040 mt), and Caribbean + DR (-890 mt). 

August 2023 beef exports accounted for 11.3% of production and 13.4% when adding variety meats, compared to 13.4% and 15.6% in August 2022. January – August 2023 beef exports accounted for 12.0% of production and 14.3% when adding variety meats, compared to 13.3% and 15.5% for January – August 2022. 

August 2023 beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $395.81/head, down 10% or -$42.17/head from $437.98/head in August 2022.  January – August 2023 beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $395.71/head, down 16% or -$75.47/head from $471.18/head for January – August 2022. 

Source: USMEF