October 12, 2015

 

Dutch pork exports up 6%, Belgian 1% in H1

 

 

Dutch and Belgian pork exports were up 6% and less 1%, respectively, during the first half of the year, according to AHDB Pork, a division of the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

 

The Netherlands' pork exports in the first six months totalled 409,700 tonnes, with the EU remaining the biggest market, which imported 326,000 tonnes between January and June, or 3% more than in the same period last year.

 

Export value, however, fell by 6% to €759 million (US$863.1 million) due to a decline in unit value of over 11%.

 

Exports to Germany increased by 14% while those to Italy and the UK both declined by 4%.

 

Shipments to non-EU countries increased by 18%, with those to China increasing 800%, Australia by 65%, South Korea 46% and Japan 4%.

 

 

Belgium exports

 

Belgium's pork exports in the first six months totalled 346,300 tonnes, up less than 1% from the same period in 2014.

 

Export value in the first half amounted to €575.3 million ($654.1 million), down 10% from the same period in 2014.

 

Exports to third countries, or countries outside the EU, accounted for merely a little over 5%, down 2% year on year.

 

Pork export to Germany, the destination of over one-third of total export, was down 6% year on year, while export to Poland, the second-largest market, was up 19% during the first half. Two-thirds of Belgium's pork export went to Germany and Poland, with the remaining one-third was shipped to the smaller markets.