U.S. total pork imports and exports 2006-2021

In 2019, the United States exported over six billion pounds of pork across the globe. The country’s export volume has been increasing steadily since 2015. The country’s import volume stood at approximately 904 million pounds in 2020, which was a decrease compared to the past few years.

Global pork production

In 2020, the leading producers of pork were China, the European Union, and the United States. That year, China produced over 30 million metric tons of pork, while the European Union and the United States were responsible for over 20 million and 10 million metric tons, respectively. All remaining countries produced significantly less pork.

Pig population

China, by far the top producer of pork in 2020, also had the largest number of pigs that year. In 2020, China accounted for over 300 million heads. The European Union, which ranked second in terms of production and pig count, was home to roughly half that number of pigs. The United States accounted for approximately 80 million heads. More than a quarter of the country’s pigs and hogs were located in the state of Iowa as of March 2020.