Pork export value up 2% in 2015 despite slump in farm gate average prices

The value of Irish pork exports increased 2% in the first nine months of 2015, despite a slump in farm gate average prices from 161 to 148c/kg.

Exports of fresh/chilled pig meat rose 23%, shipments of frozen product fell 5%.

With slaughterings up 7% year-on-year (to 2.4 million head), and the weak euro helping exporters, shipments to China increased by just under a third, to 21,600 tonnes (nearly one sixth of total exports).

But total trade to non-EU countries fell 2%, due to lower sales to other Asian markets, particularly Japan. Shipments to the US increased 24%.

Shipments of pork to the EU were up 16%, comprising 64% of total exports.

Trade increased 11% to the UK and 45% to Germany, but fell 30% to Denmark.

Volumes of imports fell 14%, with shipments from Denmark slumping 47%.

Meanwhile, the European Commission this week turned down a call for pigmeat export refunds supported by 13 member states (but opposed by Germany and Ireland).

But the EU’s pigmeat storage scheme will open in early January.