US wet-salted hides are 5% cheaper than a year ago
US hide exports in the first ten months of 2024 reached a volume of 21.9 million pieces with a combined value of $879.2 million.
Compared to the same months in 2023, these figures represent a fall of 8.2% in volume and of 6.25% in value.
So far, in 2024, packers and traders have shipped 18.5 million wet-salted hides, bringing in $542.4 million, down by 11% in volume and by 16% in value year on year.
However, for wet blue growth has continued. Between January and October this year, tanners, packers and traders have exported 3.4 million wet blue hides from the US, bringing in $336.8 million.
These wet blue figures represent increases of 11% in volume and of 14% in value compared to the same period last year.
Over the ten-month period, the average price of a wet-salted cattle hide for the US was $29.28 in 2024, compared to $30.85 in 2023. For wet blue, the average 2024 price so far is $99.05, compared to $96.96 in 2023.
This means the average price of a US wet-salted hide is currently 5% lower than in 2023, but the average export price of a wet blue hide from the US is currently 2.1% higher than a year ago.
