U.S. total pork imports and exports 2006-2023

In 2022, the United States exported over seven billion pounds of pork across the globe. The country’s export volume was increasing steadily since 2015, until beginning to decline again after 2020. The country’s import volume stood at approximately 1.3 billion pounds in 2022, which was an increase compared to the past few years.

Global pork production

In 2022, the leading producers of pork were China, the European Union, and the United States. That year, China produced over 50 million metric tons of pork, while the European Union and the United States were responsible for over 23 million and 12 million metric tons, respectively. All remaining countries produced significantly less pork.

Pig population

China, by far the top producer of pork in 2022, also had the largest number of pigs that year. In 2022, China accounted for over 449 million heads. The European Union, which ranked second in terms of production and pig count, was home to less than half that number of pigs. The United States accounted for approximately 74 million heads. More than a quarter of the country’s pigs and hogs were located in the state of Iowa as of March 2022.