United States imported 200.5 million pounds of beef in February

In February 2017, the United States imported 200.5 million pounds of beef, 14 percent below a year ago but partially offset by 22 percent higher imports from Mexico, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service’s monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report.Otherwise, international beef trade seemed to be affected by lower supplies in several key importing countries, coupled with relatively large supplies of processing-grade beef in the United States, the report said. Increased domestic supplies also continue to make U.S. beef exports more price-competitive: In February, U.S. beef exports increased by 19.3 percent from the same period a year ago with double-digit percentage-point increases year-over-year to all major beef export markets except Hong Kong, which imported 19.2 percent less beef.Meanwhile, in February 2017, U.S. live cattle imports in February increased by 27 percent from the previous month, and was up 11 percent from the same period a year ago. Since November, live cattle imports from Mexico also have been significantly higher than imports from Canada. The strength of the U.S. dollar relative to the Mexican peso and a rebuilding of the Mexican herd are likely contributing factors to this uptick in imports from Mexico, the report said.On the pork side, a 16-percent increase in pork exports for the month were spurred by standout exports markets in February, including Mexico, up 24 percent over the year-ago period, Japan (up 156 percent) and South Korea (up 28 percent). Mexico accounted for 32.7 percent of U.S. pork exports in February compared with 30.6 percent a year ago, USDA reported.Mexico’s pork imports in 2017 are expected to be more than 2.4 billion pounds, almost 8 percent above 2016.