The value of pork traded within the EU was 7% lower during the first half of this year than in the same period in 2014, according to AHDB Pork.
Based on the latest figures from Eurostat, the sector’s value decline took place despite a 3% rise in the volume of product traded between EU member States from January to June this year.
“With around 5% more pigmeat produced in the EU during the period, and exports to non-EU markets only slightly higher, an increase in trade was perhaps inevitable,” said AHDB Pork. “Nevertheless, the figures do suggest that a higher proportion of output was retained in its country of origin this year, which will have added to price pressure on some markets.”
Looking at individual countries, AHDB Pork added that the most significant export growth was from Spain and Poland, up 12% and 27% respectively.
While the Spanish increase was driven by a sharp rise in production, the Polish increase was due largely to the country’s pork being excluded from several non-EU markets due to concerns about ASF. That meant new markets had to be found within the EU for Polish pigmeat, allowing it to overtake France as the sixth largest supplier to other EU countries.