EU pigmeat exports increased by just under 29% in the first quarter of 2021 to 1.6m tonnes, up from 1.24m tonnes for the same period last year.

China is the main export market, taking 955,000t during this period, almost 60% of total EU exports and a 24% increase on the same period last year. The Philippines is the next most important market, taking 96,000t, more than double the 37,000t in the same period last year.

According to Chinese import data, Ireland was the 11th largest supplier of pigmeat imports in the first quarter, taking 20,252t up from 16,140t in the same period in 2020.

The surge in exports to China over the past two years has been driven by the destruction of the Chinese pig herd caused by an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).

However, the national pig herd is being rebuilt to the extent that there is a big supply increase in China and pig prices have fallen dramatically recently.

This is likely to be reflected in imports as the year progresses.