UK pork gains ground in Mexico, boosting Latin American reach

Building on market access milestones in Mexico and Chile to expand UK pork’s reach across Latin America

UK pork exporters have achieved a major breakthrough in Latin America, with Mexico approving twelve British businesses to export pork products — a move expected to be worth £19 million over five years. As Mexican pork consumption continues to rise and tariffs are set to fall under the CPTPP, this milestone puts British pork in a strong position to meet growing demand. Alongside progress in Chile, these developments mark an important step forward for UK pork’s global growth.

With pork consumption in Mexico growing by more than 5% annually, the deal opens doors to a lucrative and expanding market. Once Mexico ratifies the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), existing 20% tariffs on pork will be removed — significantly boosting the competitiveness of British exports.

The scope of access includes muscle meat, offal, and edible by‑products – parts less popular in the UK but highly valued in Mexican cuisine, particularly in dishes like tacos de buche. This development helps optimise carcase value and strengthen farmgate prices for producers.

This success follows eight years of negotiations between Mexican and UK authorities, led by Defra and supported by UK government departments, devolved administrations, the FCDO team at the British Embassy in Mexico and industry partnerships.

Mexico first opened its doors to British pork in 2021. As I highlighted in my blog at the time, this progress was driven by close collaboration between AHDB, UK Expert Certification Partnership (UKECP), the UK Government, the Agriculture Counsellor in Mexico, and the wider industry. Earlier in 2024, access was further expanded through temporary permissions for offal and by‑products, paving the way for this latest approval.

In May 2024, a two‑week audit by Mexican officials marked a major milestone. Its aim: to maintain market access, increase the number of authorised exporters, and extend approval to offal – a key demand in Mexico. AHDB and UKECP played a central role in preparing the industry, hosting a practical workshop that offered audit readiness support and fostered valuable collaboration across the sector. We received positive feedback from levy payers who attended the workshop, held ahead of the inward mission from Mexico.

Following the audit, AHDB, UKECP, worked together to coordinate responses to corrective actions and compile essential documentation — strengthening the UK pork application, supporting technical discussions, and securing continued access. AHDB's Head of Market Access Ouafa Doxon said:

I believe this milestone is a fantastic outcome for the UK pork sector. Mexico represents a valuable market for pork offal and edible by-products, and expanding the number of approved sites allows more businesses to capitalise on this opportunity. It’s a prime example of industry and government working together to deliver tangible results – collaboration that is vital for unlocking new markets and driving sustainable growth across the supply chain.

Once ratified, CPTPP will introduce a tariff rate quota for pork, starting at 10,000 tonnes in year one and rising to 55,000 tonnes by year ten. The agreement will come into force 60 days after ratification, unlocking substantial long‑term opportunities for UK exporters.

Meanwhile, the UK pork industry has also made significant progress in Chile. The UK first secured pork market access to Chile in 2022, with approval granted for 27 processing sites. The export scope now includes fresh pork, offal, edible by‑products, casings, and processed products. With pork consumption in Chile projected to rise by 14% by 2031 and imports expected to increase by 20%, Chile presents another promising market.

This success highlights the power of sustained collaboration between AHDB, UKECP, the industry, and the UK Government. With export health certificates in place, sites listed, and trade ready to commence, the UK pork sector is well‑positioned to seize these opportunities.

Building on this momentum, our behind‑the‑scenes work continues to explore new markets and expand our global footprint. By working closely with industry partners and government bodies, we aim to secure long‑term success for UK pork exports.