Germany overtakes Spain as the largest supplier of pork in China
Germany is the leading supplier of pork in the Chinese market after overtaking Spain during last year. Germany added 8% to the volumes exported to China, while Spain reported a similar decrease. In 2018, China imported 1.2 million tonnes of fresh / frozen pork, down by 2% compared to the previous year, according to data presented by the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB).
Imports from the United Kingdom registered an increase of almost 4,000 tons, to reach a total of 50,000 tons during the year. An increase in exports was also reported by Brazil, which shipped almost 150,000 tonnes of pork in China, with 100 thousand tonnes more than in 2017. At the same time, there was a decrease of 48% in pork imports from the US due to the trade war that placed an additional 50% tariff on American pork and meat offal. In general, the pressure faced by import volumes in China last year reflects both the trade war and the low domestic prices at the beginning of the year. In more recent months, the interruption of live transport in response to African swine fever has caused pork prices to rise in the south, reflecting a shortage of fresh meat. However, it seems that there are still enough frozen meat supplies available in the northern regions to avoid an increase in demand for imported products, says the analysis. Nevertheless, different analysts are expecting a significant decline in Chinese pork production later this year, which will drive up the imports.
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