Despite numerous challenges and fears for most of 2018, sales of U.S. pork abroad remained relatively steady compared with 2017. For the year, U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports totaled 5.37 billion pounds, unchanged from 2017, and were valued at $6.3 billion, which was down one percent from 2017.
Bill Luckey of the National Pork Board called 2018 a “difficult year,” noting market-access was the biggest challenge. Pork exports accounted for 25.7 percent of total 2018 U.S. pork and pork variety meat production. Export value per head averaged $51.37, down 3.9 percent from 2017.
Despite market access challenges for many markets, 2018 export growth was strong in a few countries, including tremendous growth in South Korea and Colombia. Pork and pork variety meat exports to Korea were up 40 percent in volume and 41 percent in value, while exports to Colombia were up 39 percent in volume and 32 percent in value. During 2018, more than 100 countries imported U.S. pork.