Demand from China is continuing to drive EU exports of pigmeat, which reached their second highest level on record in September, according to AHDB Pork.
“Overall volumes were 18% higher than in September 2014, at 166,300 tonnes, a figure bettered only by last October,” said AHDB Pork, adding that China alone took over 60,000 tonnes of EU pork, a fourth consecutive record and nearly 13,000 tonnes up on the country’s pork intake in August.
China’s share of EU pork exports is almost double what it was last year, standing at 37% of the total trade.
Excluding China, exports to all other markets were 8% lower in September than in the same month last year. That was despite exports to Japan also increasing, by 4% year on year, reversing the country’s downward trend of previous months. Other leading Asian markets took less EU pork in September, however.
Finally, with unit prices remaining lower than a year ago, the value of exports was only up 12% on the year, at €368.8 million (£257.78m).