U.S. pork exports hit record shipments to Mexico in 2022

Pork exports in December reached 244,718 tons, up 13% year-over-year and the second-highest since 2022 (slightly below November). The value of exports in December rose by 14% to $687.3 million. These results boosted 2022 exports to 2.67 million tonnes, down 8.5% from a year ago, with the third-highest EXPORT value on record at $7.68 billion, down 5% record reached in 2021.

Pork exports to Mexico set another volume record in December at 90,175 tons, up 13% from last year. December's export value was $198.3 million , up 42% and the third-highest on record. These results boosted exports in 2022 to a record 959,701 tons, up 10% from a year ago, while the value of exports rose 21% to $2.03 billion, surpassing the $2 billion mark for the first time.

December exports also increased year-over-year to CHINA /Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Australia and set a value record in Central America.

Pork exports to the Dominican Republic also ended in 2022, recording the second-highest volume on record in December at 9,466 tons (up 80% year-over-year, second only to November 2022). The export value in December more than doubled year-over-year to $28.8 million, up 125%. Exports to the Dominican Republic set annual records in both volume (85,551 t, up 46%) and value ($233.6 million, up 55%).

Pork exports to China/Hong Kong were slow in the first half of 2022 but increased markedly in the second half. This trend continued in December when exports reached 56,230 tons (a 66% year-on-year increase) worth US$137.7 million (a 49% increase). For the full year, pork exports to China/Hong Kong were down 26% to 542,443 tons worth $1.39 billion (down 20%).