June 22, 2020

Germany still exporting high volumes of pork to China despite COVID-19

China's demand for pork has benefited Germany pig farmers greatly as the sector exported half a million tonnes of pork to the Chinese market in 2019, CGTN reported.

The African swine fever has severely affected China's swine industry, forcing the country to turn to Europe as its pork production dropped 10%.

At the heels of Spain, the top pork exporter to China, German is now the second biggest supplier and has continued to deliver high volumes to the Chinese market during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We raise a lot of pigs in Germany, and of course, the exports are positive for German pork prices and pork sales," pig farmer Wilken Langreder told CGTN.

Germany has so far managed to keep ASF from infecting local swine herds, a result of a thorough protection process. The country competes with other European nations to meet China's insatiable demand as it consumes around half of the world's pork every year.

"Of course we have competition within Europe... between our Spanish colleagues, our French or Dutch colleagues," German Farmers Association director Bernhard Kruesken told CGTN.

However, so far, one meat supplier in Germany was suspended from importing to China after COVID-19 hit a meat processing site. This development has not affected Langreder's optimism much.

"The pigs are being brought to other slaughterhouses because there is still enough capacity for the moment," he said. "There won't be delays."

- CGTN