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Global trade in pork and pork products and by-products reached a new record high in 2020, despite the industrial and logistical problems caused by COVID-19. In fact, many slaughterhouses around the world have had to adjust their slaughter and cutting capacities. Confinement periods disrupted the export market, especially with delays in shipping by sea, with collateral effects on negotiated prices. The 4 leading world exporters (EU, USA, Canada, and Brazil) exported more than 10 million tons in 2020 (+ 20% in one year). Trade is concentrated in Asia, which absorbs 78% of these traded volumes, and in particular in China. More than 2/3 of the trade consists of meat, the vast majority of which is transported frozen. But many pork consuming countries participate in world trade, each according to their own characteristics, volume, and desired products and qualities.
China imports more than half of the world's traded volumes. Due to the drop in production since the outbreak of African swine fever in 2018, pork imports have more than doubled to 5.7 million tons, worth more than €12 billion. Spain became its main supplier, followed by the United States.
May 2021/ IFIP/ France.
