March 11, 2016

Seven years of continuous Irish pork export growth could end this year, said the AHDB Pork, a division of the UK Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board.

The pork board forecast a downtrend in 2016 as the Irish sow herd was down in 2015, which means production may decrease this year, although it said it could be mitigated by increase in carcase weights. "The long-term growth in exports could end this year, at least temporarily," it said.

Irish pork exports reached 168,000 tonnes last year, 13% higher than in 2014 and more than double their level in 2009. Higher exports were aided by a 9% rise in Irish production in 2015. Around a third of these exports headed for the UK market. Ireland also exports significant quantities of processed pig meat products to the UK (38,000 tonnes last year, including 9,000 tonnes of sausages).