March 25, 2013

Europe could be exporting pork to China, Russia

At Adisseo's Swine Conference in Paris on February 5, expert speakers emphasized that Europe should look to export pig meat, particularly to China and Russia, before Russia attains its goal of self-sufficiency.

Jan-Peter Van Ferneij from the Economic Department of IFIP (the French Swine Institute) gave an overview of the European pig production and of Russia's perspectives. He emphasised the need for Europe to export considering that pig meat production is 10% higher than consumption in the EU. In 2012, exports reached approximately 2 000 000 tons, essentially towards China and Russia. A special focus on Russia showed that a huge increase in pig production is being supported by the Russian government whose strategy is to reach pig meat self-sufficiency.

Philippe Greau, production manager at Velikolusky Svinovodchesky pig integration complex (400 km from Moscow), gave a special focus on this big development of pig production in Russia. In only 10 months, the construction of a 5,000-sow unit has been achieved. They have used the latest technology and equipment coming from Northern Europe and Canada to optimise the technical performance and compensate for a lack of available workforce.

The unit is one of the eight complexes planned for 2016 to produce one million pigs with a fully-integrated chain. The project belongs to a private investor who has invested in the land, a feed mill, slaughter and processing units, and 800 shops to sell pig meat under his own label.

Participants of the event came from Europe, Russia, Brazil and Colombia. Pierre-André Geraert, Adisseo's Marketing Innovation Director and chairman of the meeting, said "Swine is strategic for Adisseo. We are pursuing an important investment program of R&D in Pig Nutrition, and we wish to share our information with all players along the pig chain via our annual Swine Conference."