September 24, 2013

Due to a sharp rise in the amount of British pork sold to China, UK food and drink exports increased in the first half of 2013.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said that UK food and non-alcoholic drink exports grew by 2.5% to £6.1 billion (US$9.8 billion) in January-June of 2013.

This included a 591% rise in pork exports to China. The UK exported £45 million (US$72 million) of pork and animal fat to China during the period, taking total food exports to China to £102 million (US$164 million) and lifting the country into the UK's top 10 biggest international food markets for the first time.

It was only after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the industry associations won an export license in 2011 that the UK gained access to the Chinese pork market.

Overall, exports to countries in the EU rose 1%, while non-EU exports rose 7.5%. Ireland remains the biggest market for UK food exports.

Steve Barnes, economic and commercial services director at the FDF, said the growth in exports outside Europe is "hugely encouraging".

He added: "First quarter started slowly with the Eurozone gripped by recession and extreme weather, and the UK still feeling the effects of a disappointing 2012 harvest."

However, second quarter was much better as the EU pulled out of recession and consumer confidence grew. The performance to non-EU markets was hugely encouraging in particular and a credit to companies investing to grow internationally, Barnes added.