Polish pig export shows surprising plus

The US exported 205.466 tons of pork in February; a plus of 4%, compared to the same month last year. The value of exported volume increased by 12% to $547,2 million. Of the total pork production, 27,8% was exported in February, according to figures from the USMEF (the American meat export agency). 

Win in South Korea
The largest volume (64.523 tons) went to Mexico; this is comparable to 1 year earlier. Sales to Japan, the most important sales market in terms of value, also remained stable at 32.418 tons. Significant gains have been made in South Korea; sales increased by 33% to 40,710 tons.

Sales in South Korea could become important for American exporters in the near future, especially now that China is one of them import duty on pork from the US. Vion has expressed this concern. Sales to China/Hong Kong fell 14% in February (without tax) to 69,515 tonnes. The underlying value, on the other hand, rose 3% to $164 million. These figures show that China is important to US pork exports.

Poland presents itself

The European export figures for pig (meat) show a decrease of 5,4% to 332.250 tonnes in January. What is striking is that the Netherlands surrenders relatively little (-1,8% to 35.139 tonnes). Germany, for example, suffers a larger loss: -9,7% to 75.167 tons. Spanish exports (68.814 tons) remain stable.

What is also striking is that Polish exports (+22% to 21.046 tons) are on the rise. Poland is therefore the only country within the EU to record export profits in January. As Poland is ravaged by the African swine fever, the plus is extra surprising.