November 3, 2014

China's pork imports to hit a record 1 million tonnes in 2015

China's pork imports next year will hit a record 1 million tonnes, 23.5% more than its estimated 2014 imports of 810,000 tonnes, says the latest forecast from the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

While its imports are seen to decline 3.4% to 1.275 million tonnes in 2015, from 1.320 million tonnes this year, Japan will keep its title as the world's number one pork importer, according to the USDA's FAS report.

China, however, will remain the world's top pork producer with next year's output expected at 57.35 million tonnes, 1.5% higher than its projected 2014 production of 56.5 million tonnes.

After declining for two years, global pork exports are forecast to increase 4% to 7.2 million tonnes, USDA FAS says.

The agency also predicts EU exports to rise as demand in Asia continues to offset the loss of the Russian market, although EU production is expected to remain virtually unchanged in 2015 due to several constraints such as animal welfare regulations and poor 2014 returns."

EU exports, largely to China and South Korea, are projected to increase 2%.

Even before its recent embargo on EU food produces. Russia has banned imports of EU pork since February this year when four cases of the African Swine Flu were reported in Poland and Lithuania.

The EU initiated a World Trade Organization (WTO) case in response to the restrictions, saying the blanket ban on pork from the entire EU "is disproportionate and in violation of WTO rules.'

In August, in retaliation for the trade sanctions the West had imposed on Russia for its role in the Ukrainian conflict, Moscow embargoed all food imports, including pork, from the EU, the US and Canada.