Browse Data and Analysis

FAS/Seoul forecasts 2025 Korean cattle production and slaughter will drop to 951,000 head and 1,078,000 head respectively. FAS/Seoul forecasts 2025 beef imports to dip to 574,000 metric tons (MT).

The Canadian cattle herd continued to experience contraction to begin 2025, however, there are signs of herd stabilization as cow slaughter declines and producers indicate an increase in heifer retention for beef replacement.

The efficiency of Ukraine’s beef production remains low, with most beef derived from dairy animals.

On March 11, 2025, the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia announced the import ban on frozen pork offal would end on March 12, 2025. Cambodia placed a temporary ban on several types of Frozen offal in March 2024, the ban on all other affected products was lifted in September 2024.

Australian beef production and exports are forecast to reach record levels in 2025, building on the record export results achieved in 2024. This situation is similar to 2014 and 2015, when strong U.S. demand was driven by herd rebuilding leading to similar peaks in beef production and exports for Australia.

On March 15 and 17, the General Administration of Customs of China renewed or extended the facility registrations by five years for approximately 14 U.S. dairy, 210 U.S. poultry, and 365 U.S. pork establishments.

China is a significant market for U.S. swine genetics; U.S. live (breeding) swine exports to China were valued at $15.7 million in 2023.

Jamaica’s pork market is valued at an estimated $40 million per year. While domestic production meets household and retail demand, it falls short of supplying the total market.

Post maintains its 2025 forecast on the decline of both pork and beef production. Due to the decline in domestic beef production and growing market demand, Post forecasts beef imports to grow in 2025. Post revised downward its 2025 pork import forecast to levels similar to 2024 owing to depressed demand.

In 2025, beginning inventories and beef production declined due to the increased pace of slaughter in 2024. Beef consumption remains weak due to inflation, with a shift toward less expensive proteins such as pork.

Mexican cattle exports to the United States resumed in February 2025 after a 70-day pause due to a New World screwworm detection.

Favorable pricing and weather conditions for New Zealand cattle farmers have resulted in a retention of finishing cattle on farms and less slaughter in 2024. Farm operations face challenges with continuing financial pressure such as high debt, increasing on-farm inflation, and declining farmgate margins.