Why isn’t Australia a major pork exporter (yet)?

I was recently invited to Australia to present to many of the country’s leading swine producers and veterinarians. Before trips like this, I always prepare by researching the agricultural landscape and production systems of the country. One detail immediately stood out: despite having a landmass comparable to the continental U.S. or Europe, Australia maintains a sow inventory of only around 280,000. That places it well behind many major pork-producing countries and roughly on par with large individual systems in the U.S. or Europe. For a nation renowned for its agricultural exports, this was unexpected. So, I set out to understand: why hasn’t pork gained more traction in Australia?

At first glance, Australia seems to have all the right ingredients for a successful swine industry. It is free from major diseases like ASF, PRRS, FMD, and CSF, giving it an enviable animal health status. It has strong domestic crop production, enabling local feed formulation with ingredients similar to those used in Spain and Italy. Strategically, it’s well-positioned near growing Asian markets and has well-established trade infrastructure due to its export-oriented economy. Domestic pork consumption also shows room for growth when compared with other Western nations (see Table 1), especially when considering the number of tourists and foreign workers. From this perspective, increasing the sow herd to one million and not putting downward pressure on prices doesn’t seem far-fetched. So why hasn’t it happened?

Table 1. Kg of meat consumed per person per year (2022). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Note: Consumption of fresh pork comprises approximately 10.3 kg of total in Australia.

The opportunities are real, but several challenges are holding the industry back. One of the biggest is currency fluctuation. As a heavily export-dependent economy, Australia often aims to keep the Australian dollar relatively low to maintain trade competitiveness. However, when the dollar strengthens, the cost of Australian pork becomes less attractive to foreign buyers, even if domestic prices remain stable. This makes international demand more volatile. While this issue could be partially addressed through long-term purchasing agreements, such contracts are harder to secure if pork is treated as a generic commodity. Buyers are more likely to shop around if there’s nothing distinctive about the product.

This brings us to a second major challenge: the pigs themselves. Australia’s strict biosecurity measures, while highly effective at keeping disease out, also prevent the import of live pigs and genetic materials. That means no new boars, sows, or semen can enter the country, making it difficult to improve genetics. While the performance metrics I saw on various finishing farms were not all that different than what one would expect to see in Europe or North America, the problem lies in the difficulty in making improvements to performance. These difficulties are multiplied when you also consider improving performance while simultaneously making changes to carcass and meat characteristics. And while Australian breeders have done an excellent job of trying to keep pace with the rest of the world, the lack of genetic diversity in the pig population will become a bigger problem as time goes on and Australian producers find themselves unable to keep up with the ever-evolving pressures facing our global industry. One potential solution could be modeled on Brazil’s approach: offshore quarantine facilities for live animal imports. If carefully managed, this would allow genetic improvement without compromising the country’s disease-free status. It’s a major infrastructure investment, but one that could pay off in competitiveness.

Another factor affecting carcass quality arises from the relatively light weights at which pigs are marketed, typically between 95 to 105 kg live weight. This makes Australian pigs considerably lighter and leaner than pigs produced in the Americas, Europe and much of Asia. The resulting cuts can be unfamiliar to both consumers and chefs, making it harder to prepare recipes that were developed with different pork profiles in mind. The reason behind the light weights stems from domestic retailer-driven requirements and differing animal welfare policies from state to state, which place limitations or restrictions on physical castration. In order to avoid tainting the pork it is common to market pigs at a lighter weight or administer a GnRH vaccine to the males. Sometimes both practices are done when there is concern around the ability to follow standard operating procedures or if delays in marketing and slaughter are anticipated. These practices ensure that pigs can be marketed to any retailer and comply with state regulations.

The smaller,leaner cuts of pork are likely one of the factors contributing to Australia’s relatively low consumption of fresh pork. If what’s on the shelf doesn’t match what people expect, or what their recipes call for, they may avoid it altogether. To address this, the industry could take several steps. First, breeding programs could aim to develop pigs better suited to these restrictions, though again, that hinges on genetic access. Second, retailers could be engaged in conversations about the unintended consequences of their welfare policies, not to weaken standards, but to explore balanced alternatives. Third, Australia could benefit from a coordinated education and marketing campaign similar to those run by the U.S. National Pork Board. These efforts connect consumer preferences with production and help people understand how to prepare and enjoy pork, especially when prices for other meats are high.

In summary, while Australia’s swine industry faces real challenges, the potential rewards are significant. Addressing issues like genetic access, retailer policies, and market education will take time and collaboration. But there’s no structural reason why Australian pork can’t join beef, lamb, and wine as one of the country’s premier exports, perhaps even alongside Vegemite.