Twelve businesses across England and Northern Ireland have secured approval to export quality British pork products to Mexico’s rapidly expanding market.
The UK has secured new access specifically for Northern Irish exporters through dedicated negotiations with Mexico, the government announced on Sunday.
The businesses will also now be able to export offal and edible by-products, bringing British pig farmers a return on parts that are less popular in the UK but which Mexican consumers relish as part of classical buche meat dishes.
The 12 sites are:
- Cranswick Country Foods PLC – Hull, Watton and Ballymena
- Pilgrim’s Pride Ltd – Spalding and Westerleigh, Bristol
- Thermotraffic Ltd – Wrexham
- Magnavale Chesterfield Ltd – Chesterfield
- ABP Cold Store – Hull
- Americold Spalding Ltd – Spalding
- Turners (Soham) Ltd – Suffolk
- Karro Food Group – Cookstown
- Interfrigo Ltd – Antrim.
With consumption in Mexico’s pork market growing by 5.4% annually between 2019 and 2024, industry experts estimate the deal will bring in £19m over the first five years.
This successful outcome follows eight years of negotiations between Mexican and UK authorities led by Defra, including Food Standards Agency, DAERA and industry partnerships with valuable support from the Department for Business and Trade and the FCDO.
The deal will also pave the way for future opportunities for British exporters, with 20% tariffs on pork set to disappear once Mexico ratifies the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), making quality British produce even more competitive in this growing market, Defra added.
Exceptional quality
Sustaining and growing the export market is essential for optimising the full value of British pig carcasses, which in turn helps strengthen prices for UK farmers at the farm gate, Defra said.
Food security minister Daniel Zeichner said: “British pork is renowned for its exceptional quality and high welfare standards, so it’s no surprise to see global demand continuing to grow.
“This is a tremendous win for our pork producers and builds on our recent success in resuming exports to China. It demonstrates this government’s unwavering commitment to securing better trade deals for British farmers and food producers and will boost their incomes as part of our Plan for Change.”
Exports Minister Gareth Thomas said: “British pork is the best in the world and this £20 million export win will boost farming and rural communities across the nation.
“The removal of yet another trade barrier is testament to our Trade Strategy which focusses on quick deals that deliver faster benefits to UK businesses and shows how this government is boosting exports as part of our Plan for Change while upholding our world-leading food standards.”
Jonathan Eckley, AHDB international trade development director, said: “Access and broadening the scope of our pig meat exports to the significant Mexican market is very welcome news and a testament to our levy payers’ work in providing world class products, produced to the highest standards.”
NI Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister, Andrew Muir, said: “I am delighted that Mexico has granted approval for Northern Ireland to export pork to its markets.
“This is testament to the exceptional standards we have in place here in Northern Ireland to produce high quality meat at an international level and demonstrates our commitment to supporting our important agri-food industry. Working together with industry, government and key stakeholders was essential to reach this agreement.”
Defra said it will continue to work closely with UK pork producers and traders, as well as relevant industry bodies, to ensure the smooth export of their goods to Mexico.