UK pigmeat trade, both ways, over the first nine months of 2024 is now broadly in line with the same period in 2023, as domestic supplies rise, the latest figures from HMRC show.
Pigmeat export volumes grew by 4.5% year on year in Q3, driven by higher production levels. Shipments, including offal, totalled 72,500t from July to September, 3,100t more than the same time last year. Growth was not consistent across each month, with July and September recording strong year on year improvements, but August was marginally lower.
Higher domestic slaughter and pig meat production has been the main driver for larger export volume. Defra data shows that in Q3 2024, UK pig meat production was over 7% high year on year, according to AHDB senior analyst Freya Shuttleworth.
For the year to date, January to September, total pig meat exports stood at 221,000t, just 200t below the same period in 2023.
Movement has been mixed across product categories, with volumes of fresh/frozen pork and bacon declining by 3,000t and 2,700t respectively. However, shipments of offal continued to surge, up by 4,400t, nearly matching the record volumes recorded in 2022. Processed pig meat and sausages also continued to make good gains, albeit from a smaller base.
All of the UK’s key trading partners, except the EU27, have recorded volume growth in 2024.
China remains, by a distance, the biggest single country market. Fresh and frozen volumes were down 11.5% to 29,800t over the first nine months of the year, but offal shipments were 14.4% up to just over 57,000t.
Imports also steady
Meanwhile, total imports volumes to the UK were down by 2% year on year in Q3, but, as with exports, were broadly in line with 2023 for the year to date
UK pig meat imports (including offal) totalled 192,900t in Q3, 4,000t lower than in the same period last year, driven by losses in fresh/frozen pork, bacon and processed pig meat.
For the year to date, January to September, total pig meat imports, at 580,700t were up by just 1,800t year on year.
Imports of processed pig meat and bacon have been in decline since the start of the year, and were down 5,100t and 3,600t respectively. Sausages imports, on the other hand, have seen consistent volume growth year on year, and were up 6,400t. Monthly volumes of fresh/frozen pork have seen mixed movements in 2024 so far, but overall, they have edged up.
Ms Shuttleworth added: “The UK will always import relatively high volumes of pig meat due to being unable to meet required volumes for consumer preferences domestically. Loins and bellies are particularly popular.
“Some support for imports is driven by the foodservice sector which is more likely to use non-British product than the retail sector. Although foodservice volumes have been gaining strength (Kantar, 52 weeks ending 01 Sep), the volume of pig meat purchased in this sector is far outweighed by retail and many major retailers hold commitments to British product.”
She added that increased domestic production and improved product availability may have lowered import demand during the period, helping explain the UK pig price has remained relatively stable in recent months, while EWU prices have fallen sharply.
This has led to the price differential between the EU and UK grade S reference price growing to 44p/kg in the week ending Novembe 24, compared to a gap of 24p/kg w/e 11 August.