U.S. pork exports totaled 222.243 metric tons in month 8, down 6% from the same period a year earlier, while export value fell 12% to 606,3 million USD. Most of the decline was due to lower shipments to Mexico, as domestic pork production recovered and demand for pork hams weakened in recent months. In month 8, pork exports to Central America, Colombia, and the Caribbean region increased from the same period a year earlier. These are growing markets, with exports in year 2026 on track to reach a record. However, this increase was not enough to offset declines in exports to Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China, Oceania, and the ASEAN region.
In the first 8 months of the year, pork exports totaled 1,95 million metric tons, up 1% from the same period a year earlier, while export value remained steady at 5,47 billion USD. Compared with the record level in year 2024, export volume declined 2% and value fell 4%.
After a strong growth start in year 2026, pork exports to Mexico began to slow as restrictions related to pseudorabies, in place since month 5, took effect. The trend became more pronounced in month 8, when export volume fell 12% from the same period a year earlier to 90.560 metric tons. Export value in month 8 fell 22% from the high level recorded in the same period a year earlier, to 197,1 million USD. Pork variety meat exports in month 8 also declined from the previous year's high, as many exporters were still in the process of shifting from the Chinese market back to Mexico.
For pork cuts, exports also slowed in month 8, partly because domestically produced pork supplies in Mexico were becoming more abundant. As a result, total pork exports to Mexico in the first 8 months of the year fell 3% from the record level in the same period a year earlier, to 756.466 metric tons, while value declined 4% to 1,72 billion USD.
Pork exports to other markets in the Western Hemisphere posted much stronger results in month 8. Driven by strong growth in Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, pork exports to Central America in month 8 increased 18% year over year to 17.095 metric tons, with export value reaching 56,3 million USD, also up 18%. Through the end of month 8, exports to the region remained on track to reach record levels, with export volume increasing 11% to 130.987 metric tons, while value rose 15% to 432,3 million USD.
After slow growth in the first quarter, pork exports to Colombia also rebounded, reaching a record level in year 2026. In month 8, export volume to Colombia rose sharply by 34% year over year to 12.649 metric tons, while value increased 35% to 37,7 million USD. This was the highest export volume since month 5, when a near-record level was recorded, and excluding month 5, it was the highest level since month 3/2025. This result brought total exports to Colombia in the first 8 months of the year up 5% year over year to 89.812 metric tons, while value rose 6% to 260,7 million USD.
Pork exports to China, consisting primarily of variety meats, continued to decline in month 8, with export volume reaching 29.528 metric tons, down 6%, while value fell 13% to 59,2 million USD. In the first 8 months of the year, pork exports to China increased 9% year over year to 271.354 metric tons, but value fell 4% to 560,6 million USD. This reflects the impact of the 47% tariff on pork and pork variety meats from the United States, along with abundant domestic pork supplies in China amid weak consumer demand.
7/10/2026 / U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) / United States.
https://www.usmef.org
