EU pigmeat exporters will need to build strong relationships in several so-called “smaller markets” this year, to ensure these outlets will also provide good export opportunities in the longer-term, according to AHDB Pork.
Helped in recent months by the continued weakness of the Euro to achieve an unexpected sales advantage in the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan, the big challenge for the future will be to hold the gains made this year.
AHDB Pork’s latest analysis of EU export progress, highlights the fact that these “smaller” Asian outlets should have been the sort of markets most at risk to being supplied from North America as the impact of PEDv declined. In reality, however, it’s the EU, not US or Canada, which has seen exports increasing to all three countries.
“In the first four months of 2015, EU export volumes going to the Philippines rose by 5%, to 22,500 tonnes, making it the seventh largest market for EU pork,” said AHDB Pork. “Shipments to Taiwan almost doubled, reaching 11,400 tonnes, and those to Singapore were up by 19% at 9,600 tonnes.”
The EU success in these countries is one of the key reasons why EU pork exports in 2014 fell by just 2% on the year, despite the loss of sales into Russia.
While commenting that the current weakness of the euro and strength of the US dollar have helped the competitiveness of products from the EU over those from the US, AHDB Pork make the point that such circumstances can’t be expected to last for ever, adding that US traders will be keen to “win back sales when conditions allow”.
