A total of 13 red meat exporters joined AHDB on its pavilion at SIAL Paris, attracting producers, distributors, representatives from food service and importers from markets across the world.
This year’s largest international trade show provided the platform for exporters to meet with existing customers and the opportunity to make new business connections from around the world.
AHDB’s pavilion received a visit from food and farming minister Stephen Morgan, who met with exporters to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the beef, sheep meat and pig meat sectors. He also spoke at the AHDB’s British Meat Dinner, featuring British beef, lamb and pork dishes and organised alongside SIAL, which was attended by around 300 industry and government guests.
The first half of 2026 saw the total value of UK red meat exports reach £1.1 billion, up 15% on the year, with the volume of product shipped up 8% at almost 293,000 tonnes.
Jonathan Eckley, AHDB international trade development director, said: “Total UK red meat exports in the first half of this year in both value and volume were very encouraging, despite a challenging global trading environment.
“Against this backdrop it has never been more important to ensure that the interests of our levy payers are represented and given maximum exposure on the world stage, reiterating why it is vital to maintain a wide portfolio of markets to maximise carcase utilisation.
“SIAL attracts buyers from across the world and really is the global shopwindow to showcase our world class produce. We have a fantastic story to tell and the show provides the perfect platform for us to ensure that the excellent production standards of our livestock farmers and the work of our export businesses in delivering products that are highly sought after the world over are given the recognition they rightly deserve.”
AHDB continues to deliver a comprehensive programme of international trade development activity on behalf of levy payers to support the red meat and dairy sectors.
Prior to SIAL this included inward trade missions to the UK attracting buyers from China and the US, showcasing beef, sheep meat and pig meat production. Mr Eckley and AHDB chair Emily Norton also joined Defra secretary Dame Angela Eagle and other industry leaders on a trade mission to India prior to the Paris event.