British bangers will once again head to China after Covid-era restrictions on UK unprocessed pork exports were lifted.
Major UK producers of sausages and other premium pork products have now been given the green light to restart their exports “immediately”, Defra said in a statement issued today.
The move is estimated to boost revenues for the industry by around £80m a year.
China bought around £180m worth of pigmeat in 2023 alone – making it the UK’s biggest non-EU customer.
The easing of restrictions was set to give the sector a much-needed additional boost, Defra said.
British food and drink exports have fallen to some of their lowest levels this year, and the new Labour government has pledged to make trade growth one of its key priorities.
“Economic growth is at the heart of everything this government does, and opening export opportunities is vital in achieving that,” said trade minister Douglas Alexander.
“China is already a huge market for UK pork businesses, who exported £180m of products to China last year alone.
“[This] announcement will be welcome news for British farmers and producers who have been affected by the suspension, and could grow British pork exports even further.”
China’s lifting of its import ban came after foreign secretary David Lammy recently held talks with the Chinese government, which followed behind-the-scenes work by the AHDB and the UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP).
AHDB CEO Graham Wilkinson said the announcement was “very welcoming news” for the meat sector. His comments were echoed by National Pig Association CEO Lizzie Wilson. “This is a big boost to UK pork sector. It has taken a long time to get back to this position, with a lot if frustration along the way,” she said.
“There has been a lot of work going on behind scenes to keep this close to the top of the agenda and to finally get the licences reinstated,” Wilson added.
“Even though it is importing less pigmeat than it was a few years ago, China remains a valuable market for the UK pork sector. It seems unlikely to be a coincidence that this comes at a time when China is considering imposing tariffs on EU pork exports as part of the ongoing trade dispute involving EU imports of Chinese electric vehicles.”
Defra said it would “continue to work closely with UK pork producers and traders, as well as relevant industry bodies, to ensure the smooth export of their goods to China”.
Its minister for food security Daniel Zeichner said: “This is a massive win for British pork producers, who will now be able to send their high-quality products to one of our largest markets.
“It’s a further example of this government delivering on our Plan for Change, boosting growth and benefiting businesses across the country. Our pork is world-famous for its quality, and now we can give Chinese customers what they’re hungry for.”
No comments yet