U.S. EXPORT SALES FOR WEEK ENDING 5/01/2008

Hides and Skins:  Net sales of 839,100 pieces were up 88 percent from the previous week and 56 percent from the prior 4-week average.  Whole cattle hide sales of 834,900 pieces--a marketing year high--were mainly for China (477,400 pieces), South Korea (123,100 pieces), Hong Kong (69,600 pieces), Taiwan (66,900 pieces), and Vietnam (30,300 pieces).  Exports of 613,800 pieces were up 59 percent from the previous week and 32 percent from the prior 4-week average.  Whole cattle hide exports of 609,200 pieces--a marketing-year high--were primary to China (263,900 pieces), South Korea (128,900 pieces), Hong Kong (46,700 pieces), Taiwan (44,300 pieces), and Thailand (40,900 pieces). 

Net sales of 124,500 wet blues were down 47 percent from the previous week and 27 percent from the prior 4-week average.  Increases were mainly for China (64,400 unsplit and 1,600 grain splits), Mexico (14,500 grain splits and 5,000 unsplit), Hong Kong (15,800 unsplit), and Taiwan (10,700 unsplit). Exports of 123,700 hides were down 35 percent from the previous week and 22 percent from the prior 4-week average.  The primary destinations were China (29,800 unsplit and 6,300 grain splits), Hong Kong (22,900 unsplit), Mexico (13,500 grain splits and 1,000 unsplit), South Korea (11,300 unsplit), and the Dominican Republic (8,600 grain splits and 2,400 unsplit).  Net sales of splits totaling 864,100 pounds resulted as increases for Vietnam (792,000 pounds), Turkey (100,000 pounds), and Hong Kong (82,000 pounds), were partially offset by decreases for Italy (92,000 pounds) and China (17,900 pounds).  Exports of 1,368,100 pounds were up 13 percent from the previous week and 55 percent from the prior 4-week average.  The destinations were China (554,100 pounds), Hong Kong (544,000 pounds), and Italy (270,000 pounds).