Argentina makes first shipment of pork to China

Argentina completed the first shipment of pork to China after it obtained authorization last April from Chinese health and customs authorities.

Last Friday, August 23, the first container was loaded with 28 tons of frozen bone-in pork. The operation was carried out by an export consortium made up of 18 producers, ArgenPork.

“We have been working since 2017 to obtain the necessary export authorizations,” says Guillermo Proietto, manager of the exporting consortium, which exports 1,000 tons of pork a month, mainly to Russia, and now China.

According to Proietto, Argentina exports “between 2 and 3% of what it produces” and pointed out that the process of opening markets and enabling plants “was very fast and good”. Senasa was in charge of the sanitary procedures, after the delegation made by the Chinese authorities with supervision.

“China is a 2m tons per year market for frozen pork,” said the businessman, adding that “we are looking to incorporate more [producers] as long as they meet requirements such as long-term work and commitment to the delivery of the meat.”

China suffered an outbreak of African swine flu that led it to sacrifice millions of animals. According to official data, there was a 32% reduction in the country’s pork stock.

According to ArgenPork, this situation is not related to pork imports to the country. “This is a project that began two years ago and is now coming to fruition. We expect to start with two to three shipments per week in this first stage, and by 2020 we expect to ship between 8 and 10 shipments per week,” said Proietto.

So far, only three Paraguayan meatpackers are able to export frozen pork to China: La Pompeya (responsible for the current shipping), Campos Austral, and Paladini.

Source: Trade News

Sharing is caring!