The Russian ban is hitting some EU countries hard, according to Pig Market Weekly.
The latest EU Commission figures reveal that pork exports in the first five months of this year were down overall, although trends varied considerably between Member States. German shipments, for example, were down by 20% on the same period last year, while Denmark exported 6% more, allowing it to regain its position as the leading source of EU pork exports.
In part, this reflects Germany’s somewhat higher level of exposure to the Russian market; last year it accounted for 29% of German exports to non-EU countries, compared with 24% of Denmark’s. However, it also reflects the Danish industry’s ability to quickly redirect product to a range of other markets.Â
Among other major exporters, the Netherlands recorded increased shipments in the period, while French and Spanish shipments were little changed from last year. Unsurprisingly, Poland was the hardest hit, with its pork exports down by nearly half.