NPB study explores international pork markets

by | Dec 9, 2020 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Two new reports from the National Pork Board outline opportunities to diversify pork exports.

The study ? prepared by global research firm Gira, and funded by the Pork Checkoff and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Emerging Markets Program ? focuses on how the United States can become the supplier of choice for pork to Vietnam and the Philippines.

Norman Bessac, vice president of international marketing for the Checkoff, says the reports will help expand US export options and create even greater value for more than 60,000 pig farmers.

?The intention of the Vietnam and the Philippines study was to look for emerging opportunities where we would see volume and value growth over the next five years,? Bessac said, ?and provide the industry the insight and perspective to incorporate that into their planning so that we diversify the markets that we are shipping our pork to in order to help create values for producers and, perhaps, to help minimize the risk they might see on the market.?

Bessac says it?s anticipated that both the Vietnamese and Philippine markets will see increased demand for pork consumption in the next decade, even as the two countries recover from COVID-19 and African Swine Fever outbreaks.

?Per capita consumption in those areas will increase significantly, in our opinion, here over the next couple of years,? Bessac said. ?Vietnam is a very different market than the Philippines. There?s certainly potential in both. Both are affected by ASF, both are affected by what goes on in China and perhaps in other areas around the world, but they are very unique.?

The projected demand increase is counter to other key markets, where pork consumption is expected to shrink by 2030. The predicted growth in these two markets is based on the rise in the middle classes and pork?s popularity in Vietnamese and Filipino cuisines.