Russia increases pork exports for second year running
Following a year of growing pig meat exports, Russia finished 2019 in a net exporter position for the second consecutive year.
Compared to the previous year, its position has strengthened considerably, up from +8,900 tonnes in 2018 to +27,500 tonnes 2019.
Russian exports of pig meat continued to perform strongly across the final quarter of the year. As such, in 2019 overall, Russian exports of pig meat reached 138,200 tonnes, 19% more than in the previous year. Almost all the uplift was driven by gains in the fresh and frozen pork category, which recorded an increase of 76% on the year. Meanwhile, exports of offal, traditionally Russia’s largest pig meat export, recorded an 11% decline on the year.
In contrast, Russian imports of pig meat were considerably in lower the second half of the year. Across Q4, Russia imported 19,400 tonnes, 36% less than in the previous year. Shipments from most source nations recorded a decline. With an import ban lifted in late 2018, imports from Brazil were nearly nine times higher than last year. However, this was not enough to compensate for the decline from other major source countries.
Nonetheless, growth earlier on in the year meant that overall in 2019, Russian imports recorded a modest increase. Russia imported 110,700 tonnes, 3% more than in the previous year.
Felicity Rusk
Read full article Share on twitter