October 29, 2013

Belgium's H1 2013 pig meat export up over 6%

In the first half of 2013, Belgium's volume of fresh and frozen pig meat export was more than 6% higher than the same period of last year.

Around 60% of Belgian pig meat is exported, according to the German meat industry association, VDF.

During the first six months of 2013, the total volume exported was around 353,000 tonnes, which is 21,000 tonnes more than the corresponding period in the previous year.

The total value of these exports for the period was around €680 million (US$937 million), 7% more than in the first six months of 2012.

The greatest share of the pig meat volume was destined for other EU countries, with 40% to Germany, an increase of 3.3% from the previous year. Second market is Poland, which took almost 24% more German pig meat than in January to June 2012 but the Netherlands imported 27% more from its neighbour than last year. Volumes to Italy and the UK were almost unchanged.

Belgium imported 17% less pig meat in the first half of 2013 than the previous year, with a volume of 30,700 tonnes, so the country's increase in domestic output was all exported.