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Another strong month for pork exports
Pork exports continue to surge in 2020.
University of Missouri livestock economist Scott Brown says that can be largely attributed to China ramping up its purchases of US pork. “Our exports of pork to China totaled 1.03 billion pounds,” he says. “In the United States as a whole, we’ve exported right at 850 million pounds, year to date. It tells you China’s increase has been partially offset by some other countries who are below year-ago levels.”
He tells Brownfield, the US can’t afford for China to take its foot off the accelerator when it comes to pork purchases.
And, Brown says, African swine fever still is a wildcard. “If we never see ASF in Germany except in the wild boar population, and China doesn’t have another big ASF relapse, and they continue on their march of self-sufficiency, that’s like a drag for us in 2021,” he says.
He says the volatility in the market is likely to continue and producers should strongly consider ways to manage their risk in order to protect their bottom line.
