Strong Canadian pork exports driven by Chinese demand

Canada’s exports of pig meat (incl. offal) for the first six months of the year were up 14% year-on-year, largely due to growth in shipments to China. Total exports for the period came to 688,300 tonnes, with shipments to China making up 45% of this volume. Exports also increased to the US, and notably to Vietnam.

The growth in shipments to China seems to have been at the expense of other Asian markets, including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Volumes were also lower to Mexico.

Recent, and anticipated, strength in exports to China may go some way to explaining recent growth in the Canadian breeding pig herd. On the other hand, Canadian pig prices this summer were the lowest since 2009, influenced by higher throughputs (+4% for the year to mid-August) and coronavirus-related disruption. This would otherwise be expected to limit interest in herd expansion.

According to Statistics Canada, the total number of pigs in the country at 1 July 2020 was stable compared to last year, at 14 million head. However, there was some growth in the breeding herd, up by 1.4%, with similar growth in the number of piglets under 7kg.

The total number of slaughter pigs was steady on the year before, at around 12,800 head. Within this, growth in numbers of younger pigs balanced falls in heavier pig numbers. Some of the increase in younger pig numbers is probably related to lower exports of pigs for finishing in the US during Q2 (-92,000 head year-on-year). Space on US farms has been limited due to a number of US slaughter plant closures in April and May.

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