U.S. EXPORT SALES FOR WEEK ENDING 9/7/2017  

Hides and Skins:  Net sales of 492,300 pieces reported for 2017, all whole cattle hides were up noticeably from the previous week and up 40 percent from the prior 4-week average.  Increases were primarily for China (370,900 pieces), South Korea (78,000 pieces), Thailand (24,000 pieces), Mexico (9,300 pieces), and Japan (3,400 pieces).  Reductions were reported for Taiwan (300 pieces).  Exports of 401,300 pieces reported for 2017, all whole cattle hides, were up 3 percent from the previous week and 5 percent from the prior 4-week average.  Exports were primarily to China (287,200 pieces), South Korea (67,500 pieces), Mexico (22,800 pieces), Thailand (8,900 pieces), and Taiwan (6,300 pieces).

Net sales of 154,800 wet blues for 2017 were up 21 percent from the previous week, but down 16 percent from the prior 4-week average.  Increases were reported for Italy (43,300 unsplit), China (38,700 unsplit), Vietnam (23,000 unsplit and 13,600 grain splits), and Mexico (29,600 grain splits and 200 unsplit).  Reductions were reported for Thailand (300 unsplit).   Exports of 113,300 wet blues for 2017 were down 32 percent from the previous week and 34 percent from the prior 4-week average.  The primary destinations were Italy (25,500 unsplit and 3,200 grain splits), Vietnam (24,800 unsplit), China (20,700 unsplit), and Mexico (8,800 grain splits and 4,800 unsplit).  Net sales of splits totaling 273,900 pounds for 2017 resulted as increases for Vietnam (266,700 pounds) and South Korea (32,000 pounds), were partially offset by reductions for China (24,800 pounds).  Exports of 294,100 pounds for 2017 were up noticeably from the previous week and from the prior 4-week average.  The destinations were China (240,100 pounds), Taiwan (50,000 pounds), and South Korea (4,000 pounds).