Good afternoon,

Linked below is the Import-Export Report for January 2019.

Here are a few key findings:

• Imported beer volume decreased by 11.9% during January 2019, the softest single month for imported beer in the U.S. since September 2011.
• Mexican imports declined by double digits in January, the first time this has happened in more than a year.
• Certain functions of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, which processes imports, were affected by the partial government shutdown which ended on January 25th.  It is likely the partial government shutdown played a role in January’s decline in imported beer volume, but the extent of the impact is unclear.
• Despite January’s decline, imports remain up over the last 12 months, and early reports from importers indicate a turnaround in February.
• Exported beer volume also declined at double-digit rates in January.

If you have any questions, please reach out.

Cheers,

Michael Uhrich
Chief Economist