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).