Beef Highlights:

November 2023:
Beef: 75,799 mt, -17%; $692 million, -6.5%
BVM: 23,230 mt, -2%; $94 million, -8%
Beef + BVM: 99,029 mt, -14%; $786 million, -7%

January – November 2023:
Beef: 923,286 mt, -15%, $8.082 billion, -17%
BVM: 260,289 mt, -5%; $1.027 billion, -11%
Beef + BVM: 1.184 million mt, -13%; $9.108 billion, -17%

November beef muscle cut exports totaled 75,799 mt, down 17% or -15,823 mt from last year. Compared to last year, beef muscle cut exports were higher to the Caribbean + DR (+60 mt), while exports were lower to Korea (-5,480 mt), Japan (-3,790 mt), China/HK (-2,270 mt), ASEAN (-1,870 mt), Canada (-1,030 mt), Taiwan (-670 mt), EU27 + UK (-350 mt), Central America (-160 mt), Mexico (-160 mt), Middle East (-140 mt), and South America (-30 mt). Exports to Mexico (8,420 mt, -2%) fell slightly below year-ago levels for the first time in six months, while exports to Canada (7,290 mt, -12%) were the lowest level since March. Exports to Korea (16,890 mt, -25%) and Japan (15,350 mt, -20%) continued to be lower year-over-year. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 15,120 mt and were down 13% from last November and were the lowest level since January. Exports to China (12,430 mt, -16%) were below year-ago levels, while exports to Hong Kong (2,690 mt, +1%) were slightly higher year-over-year. Exports to the ASEAN (1,790 mt, -51%) were the second lowest level this year with exports to the Philippines (600 mt, -50%), Indonesia (500 mt, -32%), and Vietnam (210 mt, -83%) lower year-over-year, but exports to Singapore (370 mt, +2%) slightly above year-ago levels. Exports to Taiwan (3,620 mt, -16%) were the second lowest level this year. Exports to the Caribbean + DR (1,820 mt, +4%) were higher year-over-year, led by above year-ago levels to the Netherlands Antilles (280 mt, +42%), which were the highest level so far this year, Jamaica (160 mt, +73%), Trinidad and Tobago (110 mt, +24%), and the Cayman Islands (100 mt, +5%), which were the highest level since June 2022. Exports to the Caribbean + DR were partially offset by lower year-over-year exports to the Dominican Republic (590 mt, -16%), which were the second lowest level this year, the Bahamas (220 mt, -8%), and the Leeward-Windward Islands (140 mt, -8%). Exports to Costa Rica (400 mt, +17%) were the sixth highest level on record, and exports were also above year-ago levels to Panama (140 mt, +11%) and El Salvador (100 mt, +76%), while exports were below year-ago levels to Guatemala (760 mt, -17%) and Honduras (120 mt, -47%), bringing exports to Central America (1,530 mt, -9%) lower year-over-year. Exports to South America (1,200 mt, -2%) were slightly below year-ago levels, but were the highest level so far this year, with exports to Chile (360 mt, +5%) above year-ago levels and the highest level so far this year, offset by exports to Colombia (460 mt, -36%) and Peru (90 mt, -4%), which were lower year-over-year. Exports to the Middle East (1,160 mt, -11%) were lower year-over-year, but were the highest level so far this year. Exports to EU27 + UK (1,370 mt, -20%) were the lowest level since January.

November beef variety meat exports totaled 23,230 mt, down 2% or -580 mt from last year. Exports were higher than last year to Mexico (+620 mt), Africa (+610 mt), South America (+600 mt), and Central America (+150 mt). Exports were lower to Middle East (-900 mt), Japan (-870 mt), China/HK (-250 mt), Canada (-220 mt), ASEAN (-140 mt), Korea (-110 mt) and Caribbean + DR (-70 mt). Exports to Mexico (9,420 mt, +7%) were above year-ago levels for the eleventh consecutive month, while exports to Canada (700 mt, -24%) have been below year-ago levels since April. Exports to Korea (1,000 mt, -10%) were the lowest level since February and were below year-ago levels for the first time since January. Exports to Japan (3,760 mt, -19%) were below year-ago levels and exports to the ASEAN (510 mt, -21%) were the lowest level since January. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 2,410 mt and were lower year-over-year with both exports to China (1,700 mt, -12%) and Hong Kong (720 mt, -2%) below year-ago levels. Exports to South America (1,100 mt, +119%) were above year-ago levels, with exports to Colombia (470 mt, +288%) the second highest level so far this year and exports to Peru (420 mt, +43%) also above year-ago levels, while exports to Chile (70 mt, -18%) were lower year-over-year. Exports to Central America (410 mt, +58%) were the highest level since May and the second highest level this year, while exports to the Caribbean + DR (410 mt, -15%) were lower year-over-year. Exports to Africa (1,200 mt, +105%) were above year-ago levels, but the second lowest level this year. Exports to Angola (1,200 mt, +105%) were the highest level since July 2020, exports to Cote d’Ivoire (310 mt, up from 0 mt) were above year-ago levels, and exports to Gabon (130 mt, up from 0 mt) were the highest level since February, while exports to South Africa (300 mt, -21%) were the lowest level since October 2022. Exports to the Middle East (2,310 mt, -28%) continue to be below year-ago levels throughout 2023.

January – November beef muscle cut + variety meat exports totaled 1.184 million mt, down 13% or -180,319 mt from last year. Exports were higher to Mexico (+23,120 mt), Africa (+7,240 mt), EU27 + UK (+770 mt), and Central America (+240 mt). Exports were lower to Japan (-61,560 mt), China/HK (-50,770 mt), Korea (-44,870 mt), ASEAN (-22,880 mt), Middle East (-21,430 mt), Taiwan (-3,840 mt), South America (-3,720 mt), Caribbean + DR (-1,490 mt), and Canada (-1,320 mt).

November 2023 beef exports accounted for 10.4% of production and 12.7% when adding variety meats, compared to 11.8% and 13.9% in November 2022. January – November 2023 beef exports accounted for 11.7% of production and 13.9% when adding variety meats, compared to 13.1% and 15.3% for January – November 2022. 

November 2023 beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $380.54/head, down 0.1% or -$0.42/head from $380.96/head in November 2022.  January – November 2023 beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $394.07/head, down 13% or -$59.38/head from $404.78/head for January – November 2022.

Source: USMEF