Chinese import data to the end of May shows that they imported 15,508 tonnes (t) of pig meat from Ireland between January and May this year.

This is 3,081t less than in the same period in 2022 and less than half the 34,520t they imported from Ireland in the first five months of 2021.

The value is up on 2022 levels at an average of €2,119t equivalent, compared with €1,822t equivalent for the same period in 2022, but it is behind the €2363t equivalent they paid on average between January and May 2021 for Irish pig meat.

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China’s beef imports continue to grow, though at a lower pace than in previous years. In January-May this year, they imported just under 1m tonnes of beef at 995,675t, compared with 922,273t in the same period last year.

Brazil exports

Despite the disruption to Brazil’s exports to China, due to the BSE case, volumes have increased to 368,213t, up from 301,640t in the same period last year though slightly down on 2021 volumes.

Chinese imports from all the main suppliers increased, with the exception of Uruguay, where they fell from 165,795t in the first five months of 2022 to 121,439t in the same period this year.

The overall value for China’s beef imports this year has been the equivalent of €4,955/t compared with €5,941/t for the fist five months of 2022 when global beef prices were at their peak.

China’s sheep meat imports also increased between January and May this year to 186,189t, compared with 164,810t in the same period last year, though still down on the record 210,054t in the corresponding period in 2021.