Two of the most prominent events in the Chinese meat industry calendar are taking place in the coming weeks, with AHDB attending both to promote UK pork exports.
AHDB will attend the China International Meat Industry Exhibition (CIMIE), held in Qingdao Cosmopolitan Exposition, from April 20-22 to continue to boost pork exports. The event attracts thousands of visitors from around the world and will be particularly significant this year, as it is the first meat event in China since the start of the pandemic.
A further five exporters will join AHDB at the British Meat Pavilion at SIAL China – the country’s leading trade show for meat – from May 18-20. The three-day show will see around 4,500 global exhibitors and over 150,000 visitors pass through its doors.
The Chinese market continues to be a focus for UK pork exporters, with data from the HMRC showing that over 126,000 tonnes (worth £203m)were exported to China in 2022, and the prominence of the market has continued into this year, with 11,000 tonnes (worth £18.5m) exported in January alone.
AHDB’s head of Asia pacific, Jonathan Eckley, said: “We are excited to be returning to China with our pork exporters for two major events which provide a platform to promote our pork, whilst developing and maintaining relationships with buyers across Asia.
“China remains the largest export market for our pork products and it’s imperative that we continue to build all important relationships with key importers, as face to face meetings are particularly important in China.
“It will be fantastic to be able to host the UK’s leading exporters in person in China for the first time since November 2019 and reconnect with our in-market stakeholders and showcase ‘Quality Pork from Britain’ at these professional industry shows, to find further opportunities to grow our shipments.”