Germany and Spain are now the EU’s pork export leaders, taking over from Denmark in 2015 as the top supplier of pigmeat into third country markets, according to AHDB Pork.
All three countries shipped over 300,000 tonnes of pork outside the EU during the year, accounting for 60% of EU pork exports between them.
Germany and Spain recorded increases in non-EU sales of 23% and 30% respectively last year, while Danish exports rose by just 4%. Overall EU pork exports increased by 11% in 2015.
“UK pork accounted for only 3% of all EU exports,” reported AHDB Pork, noting that this still earned the UK a place in the EU’s top 10 of leading exporters.
“With UK and EU pork consumption projected to show little growth in the years ahead, further developing third country export sales will be crucial if production continues to rise.”
Headline image highlights UK exports in red