Shifting winds in global pork trade

Sep 25, 2023

The world of pork trade is witnessing a fascinating turn of events. A recent report by Rabobank shines a spotlight on how competition is heating up among major exporters, with Brazil and the US leveraging their low-cost production capabilities to gain an edge. In contrast, Europe seems to be facing music with rising market and regulatory requirements related to animal welfare and sustainability.

Disease pressure continues to cast shadows over the pig sector. Regions experimenting with innovations such as vaccines and gene editing might just pull ahead in this race. African swine fever (ASF) remains a significant concern, reshaping trade patterns, and especially affecting Asia and European exporters.

Brazil is making waves with its cost efficiency. Despite a surge in production costs, it holds a competitive edge over its European counterparts. Capturing 24% of China's pork imports in 2022, Brazil is now China’s second-largest supplier.

Europe is dancing to a different tune. Facing a projected 8% decline in production in 2023 and higher production costs due to increased sustainability and animal welfare standards, Europe is pivoting more towards local consumption.

North America, on the other hand, is holding its ground as a low-cost supplier, with the US and Canada continuing to play a pivotal role in global trade, thanks to affordable feed and key market access.

Interestingly, China achieved a 95% self-sufficiency in pork production in 2022, yet it continues to be a major importer, alongside Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and the Philippines.

Global pork consumption is set to grow until 2030. Countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Brazil, Mexico, and China are expected to drive this growth, offsetting the decline in European consumption.

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

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