Irish pigmeat and poultry supplies hit record levels in 2017 and part of this production was absorbed by increased domestic consumption, Bord Bia’s sector manager Peter Duggan told the agency’s meat marketing seminar in Naas, Co Kildare, on Friday.

Poultry imports were down 6% between January and September last year. “This is due to preference for Irish products at food service level,” Duggan said.

Meanwhile, the trend towards a decrease in fresh pork consumption in Ireland was reversed in 2017. This was accompanied by an increase in the proportion of pigmeat products carrying the Bord Bia quality mark to 76% last year, the highest on record.

Export markets

Irish pigmeat supply for export increased through the last quarter of 2017 to cross the 70,000 head/week mark and hit the largest weekly supply on record in December.

Irish pigmeat export volumes grew by 3% last year, mostly to the leading UK market. Peter expects this to stabilise this year as a decline in the breeding herd is offset by improvements in productivity.

Citing “optimitstic” Rabobank forecasts for Chinese demand to 2020, he noted that the restructuring of China’s pig industry in the face of environmental constraints was continuing. Domestic Chinese production remains slow as a result and increasing demand turns to imports.

“A strong dollar may curb the competitiveness of US pigmeat somewhat,” he added.

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2017 strongest year on record for Irish meat exports – Bord Bia