Pork Commentary, March 9th, 2020
Jim Long, President-CEO, Genesus Inc.
Spain last week reached a record high in hog prices at 1.54 euro a kilogram liveweight (79₵ U.S. lb. liveweight). Its ability to push exports to China is really paying off.
- Spain’s pork production in 2019 was 4,627,179 tonnes up 2.13% from 2018.
- In 2019, Spain was the leading E.U. exporter of pork and pork products, with a total of 1,183,750+ (869,540+ in 2018), and doubled its exports to China (668,780+ vs 315,140+)
In 2019, the whole of the European Union exported 4,735,210 tonnes of pork and pork products. An increase of 20% (800,000-tonne increase). Of this China took 2,419,490 tonnes, almost double 2018. When we look at China-E.U. imports, it’s about 46,000 tonnes a week in 2019.
The January 2020 U.S. exports to China-Hong Kong, indicates 97,002 metric tonnes. A year ago 26,744 (+361%). Obviously, U.S. exports going in the right direction. Our farmer arithmetic tells us that China-Hong Kong exports in January equal about 1 million market hogs.
January’s total U.S. exports were 273,603 metric tonnes, up from last year’s 201,835 metric tonnes. The difference of 72,000 tonnes is about 700,000 market hogs. Roughly the increase in U.S. hog marketings in January from a year ago.
A year ago 53-54% market hogs were 51.20₵ lb. last week 56.44₵ lb. In our opinion, the increase in exports has supported hog prices to the level they are. We certainly don’t need more hogs to be produced and continue to hope export levels push higher.
Who the heck knows how big a sustainable deal will be Coronavirus (COVID-19). We all lived through Swine Flu. Big story, then went away.
We expect that Tyson-JBS have now got their system free of Ractopamine. This should increase exports to China as they have about 170,000 hogs per day. This in itself should increase in our opinion 10,000 tonnes a week to China. We do not believe either company would take out Ractopamine, or its consequences in production without thinking they could move 5,000 tonnes a week to China.
China’s hog price last week averaged 37 RMB/kilogram ($2.40 U.S. liveweight a lb.). Certainly a sign there is still a pork shortage and consumer demand is strong. There are logistics issues due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), but when there is huge profit potential and real need for food we expect that profits and need will accelerate logistics.
Mexico
Last week we visited Mexico and talked to many producers. Like much of the world, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted the supply chain. This has created a degree of uncertainty.
We were in the North-west region of Mexico which is Mexico’s heartland of Asian exports. Pork quality is a big issue due to quality demands of the export market. Producers we talked to hope the U.S. can increase levels of exports to Asia so the U.S. will have less to send to Mexico.
Everyone in North America is hoping that the Phase 1 US-China agreement of $40 billion in China Ag purchases includes massive levels of pork purchases.
Context:
Not to minimize the Coronavirus, but put into context of 1.4 billion people living in China.
- 260,000 people die a year in vehicle accidents in China, (5,000 a week).
- The latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) total death toll in China – 3,097.
Let’s hope for everyone’s sake this too will pass
Genesus
Customer Testimonials
Riverview, MT, USA
“Genesus genetic program works very well for us. Sows produce large uniform litters with good birth and wean lots. Having a good appetite in lactation helps breed back. In our system having an animal with a high immunity sure helps.
Genesus boars produce fast-growing pigs to market with low mortality. The boars are easy to work with and are willing workers. Carcass is excellent along with meat quality.”
Springwater, MT, USA
“We at Springwater Hogs, like the Genesus animals. Sows eat well, milk well, breed back good. The sows wean heavy pigs of uniform size, with low mortality. Boars perform well, are really good to work with. Weight are good and mortality from wean to 290lbs is 1.98%, which we think is very good. Pigs grow well, convert well and finish off well. The service is really good. We are happy with Genesus.”
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