Difficult market conditions for UK pork exports
Despite an increase of 7% increase in pig meat production for the first 7 months of the year, UK pig meat exports are facing difficult market conditions. UK exports of pig meat (not including offal) fell by 41% year on year in July, to 16,200 tonnes. Volumes to the EU fell by 43%, where the price of pigs has been falling rapidly in the face of market oversupply.
UK exports to the key market of China also fell, to 5,900 tonnes (-54% year on year). Wholesale pork prices there are now at levels not seen since before the outbreak of African Swine Fever. Although recovery in the Chinese herd appears to have stalled, and domestic production will probably be volatile in the future, current import demand is reported to be very weak.
In the year to July, the UK has exported 129,800 tonnes of pig meat, a drop of 22% year on year. In July, the UK imported 58,100 tonnes of pig meat, 1% less than a year ago. This brings the year-to-date total to 387,800 tonnes, 11% lower than in 2020, according to AHDB.
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