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Ron Plain

The U.S. exported 1.717 billion pounds of pork last year. That was 6.5% more than we exported in 2002 and 3.8 times what we exported in 1993. In total, exports equaled 8.6% of U.S. pork production, also a record.

As has been the case for many years, Japan was the number one destination for U.S. pork exports. The Japanese bought 46.3% of all the pork we exported last year. Mexico was the second biggest buyer of U.S. pork with a 20.3% share followed by Canadians who bought 11.2% of U.S. pork exported in 2003.

The U.S. exported only 169,881 hogs last year, 17.2% less than in 2002.

U.S. pork imports in 2003 were the second highest ever, slightly below the 1987 record. We imported 1.185 billion pounds of pork last year. That is 10.7% more than the U.S. imported in 2002 and only 0.8% below the record imports of 1987. Pork imports in 2003 equaled 6% of U.S. pork production.

The top three suppliers of pork to the U.S. in 2003 were Canada 82.0%, Denmark 12.4%, and Poland 1.9%.

Hog imports in 2003 set a new record for the 9th consecutive year. The U.S. imported 7.4 million hogs, with all but 191 head coming from Canada. Last year's hog imports were 29.6% greater than in 2002 and 8.8 times as many as we imported in 1993. Weaner-feeder pigs made up 66.8% of total hog imports. Live hog imports accounted for about 7.4% of U.S. hog slaughter in 2003. For each hog the U.S. exported in 2003, we imported 44.

USDA is currently forecasting new records for both U.S. pork imports and exports in 2004.