Last year was a record year for U.S. pork exports to South America, driven in large part by strong increases in pork muscle cut shipments to Colombia and Peru, which increased about 40% year-over-year.

Even with December data still to be reported, U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports to South America already exceeded the previous highs set in 2017, with volume increasing 24% to 120,059 metric tons and value up 17% to $292.3 million. For pork muscle cuts only, exports to Colombia were up 39% to just over 83,000 mt, while the volume shipped to Peru climbed 40% to 5,240 mt.

Jessica Julca, South America representative for U.S. Meat Export Federation, explains that U.S. pork’s popularity with Colombian processors is the main factor behind the United States being Colombia’s leading pork supplier, but U.S. pork is also making strides in Colombia’s retail and foodservice sectors.

Listen to Julca’s comments of U.S. pork in the South American marketplace in this USMEF audio report.

In Peru, the USMEF has worked with the domestic industry to help overcome negative perceptions about pork, leading to gains in pork consumption. Improvements in cold storage and distribution facilities have also made consumers outside the Lima metropolitan area more accessible, and U.S. pork is capitalizing on these opportunities.

Source: U.S. Meat Export Federation, which is solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly owns the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.