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USMEF forecasts 15-20 percent drop in pork exports to China next year

As China rebuilds its hog herd, the amount of pork it imports from the U.S. is expected to decline.

But China will still be importing a lot of U.S. pork in 2021, says Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

“This year we’re going to be well over a million tons to China which will be, by far, a record,” Halstrom says. “We’re going to see that dial back a bit in 2021, but we’re still forecasting it to be a fairly big year. Right now, we’re looking at somewhere in the 15 to 20 percent lower range.

“So off a record year, 15 percent lower would still be a very big year.”

And Halstrom says there are still questions about how quickly China’s herd rebuilding process will happen.  He says African swine fever is still a challenge in some regions of China.