U.S. pork exports reached their highest level of 2022 in May in both volume (224,677 mt) and value ($655.1 million). While Mexico continues to be the leading market for U.S. pork, the Dominican Republic is exhibiting dramatic growth, with May exports more than doubling from a year ago and year-to-date shipments running 40% above last year’s record pace.
Lucia Ruano, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) representative in Central America and the Dominican Republic, notes that while demand for pork is high, domestic production has been impacted by African swine fever (ASF), which was first confirmed in the Dominican Republic last summer.
Demand for higher-end pork cuts is growing in the Dominican Republic. With support from USDA and the National Pork Board, USMEF promotes U.S. pork as an affordable option for hotels and restaurants, which are seeing a strong rebound in tourist traffic. U.S. pork is also featured in the country’s rapidly growing retail sector, and demand for pork raw material is strong among Dominican processors.
A detailed summary of January-May exports of U.S. beef, pork and lamb is available from the USMEF website. Results are based on the latest data released by USDA and compiled by USMEF.
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