January 30, 2013

China is presently the top market for US breeder hogs, whose genetic advantages help improve productivity on Chinese farms.

Through November, China was the top destination for exports of live US hogs in 2012 in terms of value - US$16.28 million for 12,138 animals, said Joe Schuele, a spokesman for the US Meat Export Federation, an industry trade group.

For China, the US was the biggest supplier of live-hogs last year, with much smaller imports from Canada, France and Britain. For US hog breeders, other major export markets were Mexico, Canada and Russia.

China is importing US breeder hogs to help meet the protein demands of its growing middle-class population. Some industry observers have suggested that American pork processors could be hurt in the long run if Chinese breeders increase output enough so that imports are no longer needed.

Chinese companies imported more than 10,000 breeding hogs in 2012, about the same amount as 2011. Each year, about 60% to 70% of those imports were from the US, said to Wang Xiaoyue, an analyst with Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant Co.

US hogs are highly sought because they grow faster and have a higher proportion of lean meat than their Chinese equivalent.