Blog: Pork exporters back on the road

Despite the challenges, export remains critical to the sector, and in the first seven months of 2021, shipments, at nearly 225,000 tonnes, had recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Relationships with key players in international markets are crucial to closing deals, while virtual connections have led the way and helped maintain connections over the past two and half years. Now the world is starting to open up, buyers are keen to meet their suppliers once again face to face.

This is particularly important for building relationships with new buyers on the ground in markets across the world, notably Asia and the Americas.

Virtual connections have led the way and helped maintain connections over the past couple of years.

Strong demand from the Philippines has seen this market of over 100 million consumers become our second largest market outside of Europe, behind China.

We led the first commercial mission into the Philippines in the post-pandemic world and, in May, hosted nine UK pork exporters on our first physical visit to Asia since late 2019. We were able to showcase ‘Quality Pork from Britain’ to leading importers and distributors in Manilla and organised one-to-one meetings for our exporters. UK exports to the Philippines have increased by a third in the year-to-date, adding £31m to the sector.

Face-to-face relationships are particularly important in the Japanese market, one of the world’s largest pig meat importers.

It’s encouraging to see travel restrictions to this key market ease, which will enable the team to reconnect with key industry partners in the coming months, building momentum in the lead-up to the largest food showcase event in the country, Foodex 2023.

The market is a good example of supporting carcase balance, with a doubling in the value of UK exports destined for Japan being driven by a sharp rise in pig meat offal exports this year.

AHDB led the first commercial mission into the Philippines in the post-pandemic world in May.

Chile is the latest market to open to UK pork exporters. In September, we hosted exporters at the Espacio Food & Service Trade Show in Santiago in Chile to meet key stakeholders in the supply chain.

Demand from the United States for higher-value cuts has been evident, with exports increasing by 35% this year, our third-largest non-EU market. While volumes may be lower than the leading two markets in Asia, it is important to note the unit value of cuts destined for the USA is much higher.

The data demonstrates the importance of having a broad portfolio of international markets for UK pig meat, be it high-value markets for premium products or markets for commodity and fifth-quarter products. And despite the challenges we have faced, international markets added £343m to the sector in the year ended July.

In September, we hosted exporters at the Espacio Food & Service Trade Show in Santiago in Chile.