China market reopens to remaining UK pork exporters hit by Covid restrictions

China has reopened access to the remaining two UK pork producers affected by the Asian country's Covid-linked restrictions.

The deal secured by the UK government and industry representatives means the British market is now fully open to unprocessed and processed pork exports to China, following selected Covid-related suspensions in 2020.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the agreement adding the pair to those already approved is expected to add £80m ($101.8m) to last year’s export value for pork with China.

Defra said in a statement that processed pork products such as sausages, bacon and offal shipped to China from the UK last year brought in £100m for local producers. A further £80m was derived from exports of “pork” and associated “products”.

Defra declined to name the pair of companies on the basis it is “commercially sensitive information” when contacted by Just Food .

Not all UK pork producers had been affected by China’s Covid restrictions, a Defra spokesperson said, adding: “The new arrangement lifts these restrictions from remaining plants that were affected by the suspensions, also meaning many supplying pig farms will be able to indirectly supply to China.

“There has been no change to what pork products the UK can export to China.”

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which helped to secure the new agreement, welcomed the addition of the two processors.

Its CEO Graham Wilkinson said: “China is our biggest export market for the pork sector and today’s announcement of the re-listing of two UK sites is very welcome news for the industry.”

He added: “AHDB, working closely with government and industry, has played an integral part in this process, organising technical discussions by gathering evidence to support official engagements and highlighting the economic value to the UK pork meat industry.”

Asked by Just Food , AHDB said it also could not share the names of the two “abattoirs” concerned.

The farmers’ and growers’ funded organisation added the “relisting” of the two UK sites was issued by The General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China.

Along with the AHDB, the agreement was secured during a “recent” visit to China by a government delegation, which was joined by the Department for Business and Trade and the UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP).

Trade Minister Douglas Alexander said: “China is already a huge market for UK pork businesses, who exported £180 million of products to China last year alone.

“Today’s 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.”