The latest pork export figures from the US and Canada show contrasting trends with the US rising by 4%, despite PEDv, while Canada is down by 3%, according to BPEX.
The figures, covering the first nine months of this year, put total US pork exports at 1.1 million, with the equivalent Canadian total at 646,400 tonnes.
“This was somewhat surprising given the lower supplies in the US market, resulting from PEDv,” said BPEX. “However, many major export markets were also affected by PEDv, increasing demand for US pork. The overall rise is a result of higher exports in the first half of this year, which mitigated the impact of a 9% decline in the third quarter, when US supplies were at their tightest.”
The Canadian figures reveal the extent of the country’s initial gain in terms of increased exports to Russia, which were 58% up on the year for the first nine months of 2014.
“The rise in supplies to Russia was a result of its ban on EU pork, which provided extra opportunities for Canadian exporters,” said BPEX. “However, the third quarter figures show lower exports to Russia as the import ban was extended to Canada in August.”
Canada was hit during the year, however, by the knock-on effect of the earlier Russian ban on EU pigmeat.
“Declines across several Asian markets, mainly due to increased competition from EU pork, contributed to Canada’s overall downturn in exports,” said BPEX. “In particular, shipments to China came down by 21%, while exports to South Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan also declined.”