The top four pork processors in the United States are WH Group, JBS, Hormel and Tyson Foods, with a combined share of about 67 percent.

While the United States is the second largest pork producing country in the world, its entire sector is relatively mature and concentrated.

As the United States is also the world’s largest pork exporting country, U.S. pork prices and value depend on supply and demand in its domestic and export markets.

In particular, WH Group operates in China, the United States, Mexico and selected markets in Europe.

As each geographic region has its own unique characteristics, WH Group’s management team is responsible for managing the market dynamics in each region to maximize the Group’s profits.

With reference to USDA statistics and projections, world pork production for 2023 was revised upward by 2.8% from the October forecast to 114 million 086,000 tons, due to increased production in China.

Demand for pork is expected to increase in China due to the recent lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

Production forecasts remain virtually unchanged for the other countries.

Pork processors

On the other hand, world pork exports for 2023 are up 2% from USDA’s October forecast to 10.7 million tons, thanks to higher exports from the European Union, Brazil and the United States due to stronger-than-expected demand in key Asian markets.

Upward revisions to imports from China and the Philippines will more than offset declines in U.S. imports.

Philippine imports are expected to increase due to the extension until 2023 of reduced tariffs on pork imports.

African Swine Fever continues to choke Philippine production, driving import demand.

In the specific case of Tyson Foods, for example, the pork segment includes its operations related to processing live hogs for the market and manufacturing pork carcasses into primal and subprimal cuts and ready-to-eat products.

Products are marketed domestically to food retailers, foodservice distributors, restaurant operators, hotel chains, and non-commercial foodservice establishments, such as schools, health care facilities, the military, and other food processors, as well as to international export markets.

This segment also includes its live hog group, related specialty product processing activities and logistics operations to move products through the supply chain.