Kill figures 3.7% higher than this time last year

Figures for the four-week period ended October 12 showed an average weekly kill of 634,500 which is down from the 654,550 of our last report. These figures are now running at 3.7% above the same time last year. Average weekly kill in the same four weeks last year was 615,750. Smithfield Foods are to planning a new beef facility in Oklahoma,Texas, to slaughter 5,000/day in a joint venture with ContiGroup who will supply most of the cattle. And Swift increased profits by 8% in the last quarter but saw earnings fall in their Australian beef operation, down from $9 to $5 million. Export figures over the four-week period under review showed that 643,200 (829,800) US raw hides were sold to China keeping them in pole position. Previous purchases amounted to 798,000 two months' earlier and 1,062,100 in the review period before that. Hong Kong was in fourth place with 97,800 (55,300 and 96,900 for the two previous months) giving them a combined total with China of 741,000 (884,300, 894,900 and 1,091,900 in the previous months respectively). Japan was in second place with 159,000 (74,500 and 100,900) and Taiwan in third place with 111,600 (148,700 and 177,800). Korea was next with 92,500 (380,600 and 301,800); Thailand purchased 86,699 (39,800 and 39,300); Mexico 56,300 (66,600 and 78,000) and Vietnam 18,400 (17,300 and 20,500). Brazil purchased 18,200 (5,200) followed by Italy with 15,900 (35,200 and 35,400), Türkiye came in for 14,400 and Spain bought 6,500 (6,600 and 1,700). The UK and Indonesia both had 700. Japan also purchased 2,600 calf and 25,300 kip, Italy 7,300 calf and kip and China 2,000 kip. When it came to wet-blues, Hong Kong was again the major customer with 115,900 (146,900 and 84,600) while China took third place with 62,500 (44,800 and 80,600). This gave China and Hong Kong a combined total of 178,400 (191,700, 165,200 and 237,600) in the preceding months. Italy was in second place with 68,000 (28,100 and 34,900) followed by Korea with 41,800 (26,400 and 62,600). Mexico took fifth place with 26,500 (37,900, 6,400 and 119,800 respectively). The Dominican Republic was next with 19,700 (71,500 and 17,700); Indonesia 13,000 (6,300) and Vietnam 5,400 (3,000). India purchased 5,000 (7,000); Japan 2,200 (1,100); Thailand 1,600 (1,800); El Salvador 1,300 and Spain 1,100. Hong Kong bought 3,427,200lb of wet-blue splits (1,554,000lb and 953,700lb) and Italy 789,700lb (1,047,300lb and 4,029,000lb). China also purchased 394,100lb (769,000lb but there was an adjustment of 201,400lb). Korea had 315,000lb and Mexico 191,100lb.