0
Danish pig meat exports declined in most of its major markets during 2012, in line with the fall in domestic slaughterings. However exports of Danish pig genetics and ‘know how’ continued to grow impressively, producing valuable income for the Danish Pig Research Centre, which owns and manages the breeding programme.
With pig slaughtering declining by over 1m head during 2012 (from 20.4m to 18.9m), it was no surprise to see a decline in exports of Danish pig meat over the year. All the key markets experienced some decline. Within the EU, tonnages to Germany and Poland were only marginally down due to an increase in shipment of Danish weaners. Outside of Europe, the Chinese market retained its significant share of pig meat exports, but, if shipments to Hong Kong were included, volumes were also down by a small amount.
| Danish Pig Meat Exports (Jan - Dec 000 Tones) | ||
| 2011 | 2012 | |
| Germany | 612 | 602 |
| UK | 281 | 236 |
| Poland | 210 | 208 |
| Italy | 125 | 109 |
| Total EU | 1.429 | 1.333 |
| China (inc. Hong Kong) | 214 | 210 |
| Russia | 118 | 104 |
| Japan | 136 | 125 |
| Source: Danmarks Statistisk | ||
As the Danish Pig Research Centre announced that, for the first time ever, more ‘Danish’ pigs are being produced outside Denmark than in the country itself, due to the rapidly expanding export of breeding stock and boar semen.
In 2012, around 65 million “Danish” pigs were produced globally and around 35 million of these were produced outside Denmark. Exports of breeding stock and semen represented a value of DKK 1.5 billion – a new record.
Although Germany and Russia are currently the biggest markets for Danish breeding stock, Danish farmers have also begun to export breeding stock and semen to China and a “satellite” herd with 700 breeding pigs was opened in the country in January.
April 2013/ Danish Agriculture & Food Council/ Denmark.
http://www.agricultureandfood.co.uk
