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USMEF sees opportunity in Hong Kong chilled pork market

The U.S. Meat Export Federation sees an opportunity for more chilled pork sales to Hong Kong. 

Senior Vice President Joel Haggard with the U.S. Meat Export Federation says historically, Hong Kong has imported about four-thousand live animals per day from China, but because of African Swine Fever, the number of hogs sent from China to Hong Kong has dropped dramatically. “The number of live hogs entering Hong Kong has dwindled to about two-thousand head per day, and this has caused a shortage of local hot pork and of course, very high prices.”

Haggard says Hong Kong consumers pay a premium for warm, fresh-slaughtered pork, but with the shortage from China, chilled pork is selling for around $7.50 per pound, and USMEF is working to supply some of that market. “On December 12th, the U.S. Meat Export Federation held a press conference to announce a new chilled pork supply chain that will be able to deliver U.S. chilled pork to consumers at prices well below those of fresh pork, and for some items, below the cost of our chilled pork competitors.”

With ASF impacting supplies, Haggard says chilled pork is already being offered in Hong Kong supermarket chains. “In fact, the product (is) already available in over 100 supermarket outlets and there are several traditional wet markets that are handling the product.”

Haggard says the opportunity for Hong Kong chilled pork sales has never been better.