EU pork production forecast to further rise this year, beef herd and consumption set to contract

Published 2021년 3월 12일

Tridge summary

In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and African Swine Fever, the European Union (EU) set a record in pork production and exports, driven by a larger sow herd and strong export demand, particularly from China. Challenges such as slaughter restrictions in Northwestern Europe due to COVID-19 were offset by an excess of slaughter capacity. The detection of ASF in wild boar in Germany led to a shift in exports to China, with the Netherlands and Spain taking over. The EU is expected to continue setting pork production records and diversifying its export markets. In contrast, the EU's beef production is predicted to decline due to a shrinking cattle herd and inefficiency, with a potential recovery in beef imports in 2021. The EU became a net beef exporter in 2020 and is projected to continue this trend in 2021, with a recovery in beef imports anticipated with the expected reopening of the food service sector.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and the further spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in wild boar westwards into Germany, EU pork production and exports broke a record in 2020, finds a USDA report. The EU swine sector started 2020 with a larger sow herd than the previous year, anticipating strong export demand - in particular, from China, they said. But a series of challenging developments had to be overcome. “For example, in Northwestern Europe, the sector experienced slaughter restrictions due to COVID-19 outbreaks. However, the surplus of slaughter capacity and the close proximity of the plants helped the sector overcome the disruptions and accelerate slaughter during the last quarter of the calendar year. "The detection of ASF in wild boar in Germany closed off German exports from the world market. The Netherlands and, in particular, Spain were able to take over the German exports to China and relieve the EU market from an oversupply.” With the continuous ...

Source: UKfeednavigator