The continued recovery from PEDv in Japan has resulted in a 4% decline in imports of pork into the country during the first half of 2015, according to AHDB Pork.
During the same period, EU exports lost its short-lived lead over the US as top supplier into Japan, although that didn’t hamper Spain’s progress in the market.
AHDB Pork explains that the changes are due to the Japanese industry’s recovery from PEDv, set against a background of pigmeat stocks in the country having been allowed to build up.
Although imports are still higher, at 380,000 tonnes, than before PEDv hit domestic production in Japan, the fall from last year’s peak demand has cut EU supplies by 12% and US supplies by 6%.
There is still a degree of mixed fortunes for individual EU countries, however, with Denmark down by almost a quarter at the same time as deliveries from Spain rose by a third.
The same is true for non-EU suppliers with the US and Chile showing a downward sales trend into Japan while Canada and Mexico recorded gains over the same period in 2014.