U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports for 2013 reached 4.73 billion pounds marking a value of $6.05 billion – exceeding $6 billion for the third consecutive year but falling 4% short of the record value set in 2012. Of total U.S. pork and pork variety meats produced in 2013, 26% were exported to more than 100 countries, adding nearly $54 per hog marketed. Exports to Mexico, Central America, South America and the ASEAN region were all strong at the close of 2013 and as global populations and middle classes expand, demand is expected to remain firm. The top markets for U.S. pork in 2013 were Mexico (1.4 billion pounds), Japan (937 million pounds), China and Hong Kong (920 million pounds), Canada (501 million pounds), and Central and South America (258 million pounds). By value, the top markets for U.S. pork were Japan ($1.885 billion), Mexico ($1.22 billion), China and Hong Kong ($903 million), Canada ($844 million), and Central and South America ($306 million). Additionally, domestic demand for pork and pork variety meats increased by 5.6% according to the Pork Checkoff.
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