EU increases pork exports
European Union pork shipments rise slightly in early 2025 as China reins in production growth.
EUROPE – Pork exports from the European Union rose in the first quarter of 2025, with Member States shipping nearly 1.1 million tonnes of pork products to countries outside the bloc between January and March.
This represents a 3% increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI).
Spain retained its lead as the EU’s top pork exporter, accounting for over one-third of the total export volume.
The country boosted its shipments by 12% year-on-year, significantly outpacing other major exporters in the region.
The Netherlands and Denmark followed Spain in export rankings, although with much lower volumes.
Germany, despite being a major pork producer in Europe, fell to sixth place in the export list.
Its pork export volume declined by nearly one-third compared to the previous year due to trade restrictions linked to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.
Frozen pork remained the top product group exported, with approximately 432,000 tonnes shipped during the quarter.
Together with offal, these two categories accounted for about 72% of all EU pork exports during the period.
China continued to be the leading buyer of European pork, followed by the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Japan.
However, China is now moving to curb pork output as part of efforts to stabilize domestic supply and reduce market volatility.
Industry sources say Chinese authorities have urged pig farmers to stop increasing sow numbers and avoid raising pigs beyond standard slaughter weights.
These measures are intended to prevent further disruption in pork prices, which have already fallen by nearly 10% since January 2025.
Officials from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the agency overseeing the changes, have not publicly addressed the reports.
The push to limit herd expansion comes amid weaker consumer demand linked to slow economic growth and continued trade tensions with the United States.
Pork plays a central role in China’s food consumption, and the recent four-month stretch of consumer price deflation has heightened attention on the sector.
This government guidance follows previous market instability caused by the outbreak of African swine fever, which led to sharp booms and busts in pork supply.
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