US meat exports continue to decline in May amid trade tensions with China

Despite the tariff easing in mid-May, they remain at 57% for pork and 32% for beef.

According to data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), U.S. pork and beef exports showed a downward trend in May, primarily due to a sharp decline in shipments to China.

In April and the first half of May, China’s overall tariff on U.S. pork peaked at 172%, while on beef it peaked at 147%. Even after the joint announcement on May 14 of a temporary 90-day tariff reduction, Chinese tariffs remain at 57% for pork and 32% for beef. Moreover, most of the beef is not exported because China has not renewed expired registrations of meat processing plants and cold storage facilities since February.

“The situation with China clearly had a significant impact on May exports, highlighting the importance of diversification and continuing to develop alternative markets,” said Dan Hallstrom, USMEF president and CEO. “There is a pressing need to advance U.S.-China trade negotiations as tariffs could rise again on August 12. That deadline is already impacting exporters’ decisions on whether to continue producing for the Chinese market. The silver lining is that despite all of this uncertainty, demand for U.S. red meat remains strong in many key markets.”

Thus, total pork exports in May totaled 224,162 MT, down 11% from a year earlier, while the value fell 10% to $646.5 million. Shipments to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia were up from a year earlier, with Cuba seeing record levels. Pork exports to all of these markets are set to reach record levels in 2025.

Pork exports to China, primarily beef, fell to just 6,720 tonnes in May, down 82% from a year earlier, with value down 77% to $20.7 million.

For the first five months of the year, pork exports are down 6% in volume (1.22 million tonnes) and 5% in value ($3.43 billion) from their 2024 record pace.

Beef sales in May totalled 97,266 tonnes, down 12% and the lowest in nearly five years. Export value was $798.7 million, down 11.5% and the lowest in 18 months. However, exports to South Korea, the main market, were exceptional, with monthly shipments reaching their highest in more than two years and value at their highest in almost three years. May beef exports to Central and South America, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates and Africa also showed year-on-year gains.

Beef exports to China fell sharply in May to just under 1,400 tonnes, down 91% from a year earlier. The value of exports fell 90% to less than $15 million.

Beef exports from January to May fell 5% year-on-year to 508,293 tonnes, while the value fell 3% to $4.15 billion.

Tags: export, USA