United States-Pork exports.

UNITED STATES-PORK EXPORTS.

U.S. pork exports in February declined nearly 10%from a year ago, but the total pork figure, which includes variety meats,gained slightly from 2008.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s February meat-export data, released

Thursday, showed pork-meat exports at 116,629 metric tons, compared with

129,183 tons a year ago. Through the first two months, pork-meat exports were

7% off the year-ago pace. The largest declines came from sales to China/Hong

Kong and Russia , while the biggest annual gains happened in shipments to Mexico

and Japan.

For total pork, international year-to-date sales were up 3% by volume and 6%

in value. Total pork sales for the first two months came in at $728.4 million.

Industry analysts and economists have predicted a sales drop to China/Hong

Kong because domestic pork production there has increased in recent months,

whilethe economic crisis has slowed demand.