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By Alex Lennane
Volumes of beef shipments increased by 3% to 1.17 tonnes in 2013 according to a study by the US Meat Export Federation. The trend has been attributed to augmented trade with Japan and record sales to Hong Kong and South America.
Pork exports topped $6bn for the third consecutive year, but declined by 4% in value and 5% in volume compared with 2012.
“2013 presented a new set of challenges,” USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng said in a news release. “Last year, the closure of the Russian market to US red meat products and our continued absence from the dynamic beef market in China stand out.”