UK pork trade grows in Q1 2025 as China leads export volume increase

UK – UK pig meat exports reached 77,800 tonnes during the first three months of 2025, marking a 4% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

The largest share of these exports came from offal, which accounted for 36,700 tonnes or 47% of total shipments, with China receiving the majority of this product at 22,100 tonnes.

Despite offal exports to China growing by 3,000 tonnes (18%), the overall offal category increased by only 4% year-on-year, due to a 26% drop in shipments to the Philippines, which fell by more than 1,000 tonnes.

Fresh and frozen pork shipments climbed by 2,000 tonnes to reach 32,900 tonnes in Q1, marking the first year-on-year growth since 2022, with the European Union (EU27) still the primary market at 48%, while growth was mainly driven by rising exports to China.

In contrast, exports of bacon continued their downward trend with a 5% fall in volume compared to Q1 of the previous year; almost all bacon (97%) is shipped to the EU27, with declines mostly linked to Ireland and Germany.

Processed pig meat exports rose slightly by 1%, led by increased shipments to Ireland, which remains a key destination for this product.

On the import side, the UK brought in 180,500 tonnes of pig meat in the first quarter, showing a minor decline of 1% (about 1,800 tonnes) year-on-year.

Within imports, only bacon saw growth, rising 3% to 42,600 tonnes, while fresh and frozen pork imports stayed stable at 77,500 tonnes, holding the largest share of the UK market at 43%.

However, imports of processed pig meat and sausages each dropped by 1,300 tonnes, influencing the overall downward trend in pig meat imports.

Trade was disrupted at the start of the year following the confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Germany on January 10, which led to an 8% drop in UK pig meat imports and a 13% fall in exports for that month, as Germany lost its export license to the UK.

This restriction caused more pig meat to remain within the European market, putting downward pressure on prices, though shipments recovered in February and March as supply chains adjusted to the altered landscape.

The EU27 remains the dominant source of pig meat imports to the UK, with Germany historically among the top three suppliers, averaging 39,100 tonnes in Q1 over the past five years (2020-2024).

This year, however, German shipments dropped sharply to 13,800 tonnes in Q1 2025, relegating Germany to the UK’s seventh largest supplier.

Meanwhile, other EU countries increased their supply volumes, with Belgium, Spain, and Denmark rising by 4,500 tonnes, 4,200 tonnes, and 3,300 tonnes respectively, and the Netherlands and Ireland each growing imports by about 2,000 tonnes.

Germany was granted partial trade resumption on March 24, when the UK government allowed imports from areas outside the FMD containment zone, and by May 14, Germany was officially recognized by the UK as FMD-free without vaccination, lifting all remaining trade restrictions.

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