USDA/ERS  |   November 16, 2011

Through September, U.S. beef exports were 27 percent above a year ago. Mainly, strong exports to Asia underlie such double-digit growth. U.S. exports to Japan and South Korea are 36 and 47 percent higher than a year ago. Through the third quarter, beef exports to these two top Asian export destinations comprise 31 percent of total U.S. beef exports. Exports to Canada and Mexico— up 35 and 1 percent year-over-year, respectively— total almost 36 percent of total exports. Other countries that have demonstrated strong growth this year in U.S. imports are Hong Kong (+55 percent), Egypt (+25 percent), and Russia (+83 percent). Total U.S. exports for 2011 are forecast at 2.77 billion pounds.

Despite beef production estimates being down 5 percent for next year, U.S. exports are expected to be fractionally higher than this year at 2.78 billion pounds, or 11 percent of production. This increase in exports stems from higher global demand for beef, stronger economic recovery in Asian countries, and favorable exchange rates for foreign purchasers.