Canadian Hog Exports to U.S. Increase

May 10, 2002

Canadian exports of live hogs to the United States continued to surge in the first two months of 2002, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa is reporting. Total live hog exports to the U.S. during January-February were up 25% from the high levels of a year ago and are on pace to reach six million head this year compared with 5.3 million head during 2001.

For the first two months, U.S. imports of Canadian feeder pigs increased 41%, while slaughter hog shipments were 4% larger than in January-February 2001. With growing concern that U.S. hog slaughter numbers during the final quarter of this year may exceed 27 million head -- as they did during the final quarter of 1998, causing price problems -- Canadian hog industry officials have issued a pre-warning to those in the United States. who might advocate limits on Canadian hog exports to relieve the expected stress on the U.S. market later this year.

According to the Embassy, the Canadian Pork Council's executive director has said that such limits are not an option. He said CPC has not, could not and would not impose any limits on hog exports to the United States.