ANALYSIS: The Surge in Boneless Beef Imports Amidst Constrained U.S. Herd

The UB Beef Trimmings, 90% Fresh Chemical Lean quotation reached a record weighted average high of $333.25 per hundredweight on March 18, 2024. Meanwhile, according to the USDA’s latest Semi-Annual Cattle Inventory report, the number of beef cows were reported at 28.2 million head, the lowest level since 1961.

With constrained availability of cows in the domestic market and record high pricing for lean trim, end users look to alternatives to satisfy demand.  They have done so quite successfully through imported boneless beef...

ANALYSIS: A Closer Look at Formula vs. Negotiated Sales in the Boneless Beef Segment

In the domestic boneless beef sector, it is widely acknowledged that a significant volume of trade is conducted through formula pricing agreements. This analysis delves into this phenomenon, utilizing the volume reported by the USDA of fresh 50% lean trim as an example.

The chart above illustrates that, for the week ending 2/16/2024, 86.57% of the fresh 50% lean trim traded was priced through formulated agreements. To break this down, out of the total trade volume of 19.28M lbs.,16.69M lbs...

ANALYSIS: January's Shifting Trends in Brazilian Beef Export Dynamics

The recently released  Brazilian export data for January unveiled significant shifts in the beef market, signaling a slightly broader diversification of Brazilian beef export destinations early this year.

While China remains the dominant player, its share saw a slight decline, as frozen boneless beef exports to China dropped by 11.8% from the same time of last year, amounting to a massive volume of 96,329 metric tons (MT) compared to 98,857 MT for the previous January, aligned with a 9.49% reduction in the average price per MT. This decline in prices reflects...