The Chilean pork industry achieved a significant increase in export business in the first half of 2015, with substantial gains being made in South Korea, China and Russia, according to AHDB Pork.
With six-month exports rising to 64,000 tonnes, up 17% year-on-year, the country secured a 69% sales growth to South Korea, 20% extra to China and 66% to Russia.
Clearly adding to competitive pressures on the global pigmeat market, Chile’s rise is linked to “depressed domestic production” as the country recovers from outbreaks of PEDv and FMD.
Exports to the EU in the first half of 2015 totalled just 1,100 tonnes, however, a decline of more than a third compared to the same period last year.
“Despite this, Chile has remained the largest exporter to the EU, with a 31% market share in the same period, based on EU import statistics,” said AHDB Pork.
The Chilean story isn’t so positive on export values, however, with overall unit prices for the first six months of the year declining by 13% in cash terms. As a result the 17% rise in export volume only added 2% to the industry’s export earnings.