U.S. EXPORT SALES FOR WEEK ENDING 2/7/2013

Hides and Skins:  Net sales of 305,800 pieces, all whole cattle hides, were reported for delivery in 2013 down 23 percent from the previous week and 48 percent from the prior 4-week average. Whole cattle hide sales were primarily for China (229,000 pieces), South Korea (33,400 pieces), Taiwan (19,100 pieces), Mexico (8,500 pieces), and Vietnam (6,600 pieces).  Exports of 502,100 pieces were up 13 percent from the previous week, but unchanged from the prior 4-week average.  The primary destinations were China (319,300 pieces), South Korea (114,300 pieces), Taiwan (20,500 pieces), Mexico (14,700 pieces), and Thailand (11,800 pieces).     

Net sales of 95,100 wet blues for delivery in 2013 were primarily for Mexico (41,200 grain splits), China (29,400 unsplit and 100 grain splits), the Dominican Republic (7,100 grain splits), and Vietnam (5,600 unsplit).  Decreases were reported for Hong Kong (600 unsplit) and Turkey (300 unsplit).  Exports of 144,200 hides were primarily for China (42,600 unsplit and 2,000 grain splits), Italy (27,600 unsplit), Mexico (22,400 grain splits and 1,000 unsplit), and South Korea (16,500 grain splits).  Net sales reductions of splits totaling 110,000 pounds resulted as increases for Hong Kong (6,700 pounds) were more than offset by decreases for South Korea (42,800 pounds), Turkey (28,200 pounds), Taiwan (23,000 pounds), Italy (20,300 pounds), and the Dominican Republic (2,400 pounds).  Exports of 436,600 pounds were for South Korea (224,300 pounds), Italy (126,300 pounds), and Hong Kong (86,000 pounds).