July 8, 2016

Dutch pork exports drop in Q1

Dutch pork exports in the first quarter declined by 8% to 185,000 tonnes despite a five-fold increase in shipments to China.

According to AHDB Pork, a 31% reduction in shipment volumes to Germany was a driving force behind the export drop. But while export volumes of fresh and frozen pork to Germany were down, exports of live pigs were up 33% in the first quarter, and accounted for three quarters of the total 1.25 million head of live pigs exported from the Netherlands during this period. With the German pig herd declining, demand for live pigs for finishing and processing has increased.

Besides China, fresh/frozen pork exports to Italy and Greece increased, by 3% and 22% respectively.

The value of the first-quarter Dutch pork exports was also down, by 4%, compared with the same period last year.

Pork export volumes far exceeded import volumes in the first three months, which were still down during this period compared with last year. Shipments from Germany and Belgium were down 7% and 33% respectively, and Germany accounted for almost two-thirds of all Dutch imports.