February 24, 2016

EU pork exports up 11% in 2015 despite Russian ban

Europe's total pork exports last year rose 11% to 1.74 million tonnes year-on-year, as shipments to China increased by 82%, the AHDB Pork said, adding the growth materialised despite the Russian ban, which has been in place since early 2014.

The hefty gain in exports to China helped to mitigate reduced shipments to the other leading Asian markets of Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, said AHDB Pork, a division of the UK's Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board. It was noted, though, that Japanese exports, which declined by 8%, rallied in the final quarter of 2015-up 40% from the same period in 2014.

Exports to Australia also saw strong growth (14%) in 2015, although still smaller than those of the leading Asian markets in actual volumes. There were also increased sales to smaller markets.

AHDB Pork also said the value of pork exports rose 8% to just under €4 billion (US$4.401 billion), a new record.
 

Pig offal exports also grew in 2015 to 1.17 million tonnes, up 8% year-on-year, thanks again to China, to whose shipments rose 30% to 611,000 tonnes. Although smaller in real terms, growth was also recorded in exports to South Korea (14%) and Cote d'Ivoire (21%), among others. This growth was partially offset by a fall in export volumes to Hong Kong (-28%) and the Philippines (-4%), AHDB Pork said.

After falling very sharply in 2014 in the wake of the Russian import ban, pig fat exports levelled in 2015, at 215,000 tonnes. The two largest customers in 2014, Ukraine and the Philippines, both took slightly less in 2015.

Strong sales growth to China, Georgia and South Korea was noted, although the volume exported remained more than 40% down from 2013.