According to data compiled by Trade Data Monitor, UK pig meat exports (excluding offal) fell month-on-month and year-on-year in June.
June’s UK export pig meat volume totalled 16,800 tonnes – a fall of 4,900t (22%) since May and a drop of 1,500t (8%) year-on-year.
Shipments to the EU recorded a 500t (4.2%) drop to 10,600t in June as lower volumes were sent to Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands; with the EU pig price becoming more competitive as the price of UK pigs climbs. AHDB’s livestock analyst Freya Shuttleworth warns that with the EU pig price flattening, ‘demand for UK pork will come under pressure’.
However, Ms Shuttleworth says that the key factor for reduced UK exports in June was because of the diminishing demand for UK pig meat in China. Data shows that exports to China fell by 2,000t (33%) since May – a year-on-year drop of 2,800t (41%) since June 2021.
Further to that, China is reportedly recording a steady head count for breeding sows, following the ASF outbreak, so China’s domestic pig production volumes are on the up.
Overall, the total volume of UK pig meat exports have reached 121,300t, for the first six months of 2022. This number is up 7% (8,400t) year-on-year.
UK imports of pig meat (excluding offal) totalled 62,700t in June, which is a decline of 4,100t (6%) from May 2022 but a 500t (1%) increase from June 2021. This brings the year-to-date (January-June) import total to 413,200t, up 24% (81,000t) compared to 2021 (which saw significant trade disruption due to Brexit) and closer to volumes reported in 2019.
