Importers and buyers from China and the United States have visited British farms and processors on missions coordinated by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) to see the standards behind the UK pork supply chain, Pig World reports.

An 11-member Chinese delegation, including representatives of six importing companies and the vice-president of the China Chamber of Commerce of Import & Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-Products (CFNA), which represents about 75% of China's importers, visited pig farms, met exporters and watched butchery demonstrations. Separately, four senior US food-service representatives spent a week studying beef, sheep meat and pigmeat production.

AHDB's Jonathan Eckley and Mark Haighton then attended the World Pork Conference in Qingdao. Although China relies less on pork imports than before, it still takes nearly 40% of UK pigmeat exports, including large volumes of offal that have little value in Europe.

UK red meat exports in the first half of the year were worth £1.1 billion, up 15%, with volumes up 8% at almost 293,000 tonnes, Eckley said, calling the delegates' feedback "extremely encouraging".

The report was written by Alistair Driver for Pig World.

Source: Pig World