Beef exports for the month increased 24 percent in volume and 43 percent in value compared to August 2009, totaling 92,579 metric tons valued at $373.7 million. The cumulative January-August totals were up 16 percent in volume (680,609 metric tons) and 27 percent in value ($2.57 billion). This value total is 9 percent higher than the corresponding pre-BSE value total from January-August 2003. Korea remains the largest growth market, with exports of 73,625 metric tons valued at $345 million (an increase of 131 percent and 175 percent, respectively).
On a per-head basis, beef exports equated to $159.60 per steer and heifer slaughtered in August - up from about $120.00 in August 2009. Export value for January-August equated to $144.32 per head compared to $115.25 a year ago. Exports made up 11.4 percent of production, up from 9.7 percent last year.