China Reduces Its Dependence on Foreign Markets

China's pork imports are set to fall further in 2024 , reaching just 1.06 million tonnes. That figure represents a 32% decline from 2023 (1.55 million tonnes) and a more than 75% drop from 2020, when imports peaked at 4.38 million tonnes due to the African swine fever crisis.

Pork offal imports recovered slightly to 1.23 million tonnes in 2024, up 5% from 2023 but below the 2020 record of 1.35 million tonnes.

Why is import declining?

Several factors explain the decline in foreign purchases:

Domestic self-sufficiency: With the recovery of pig farming, the need for pork imports has decreased.

Government policy: Chinese authorities promoted stability in the domestic market to avoid price volatility.

Moderate consumption: Although pork is still the most consumed meat in China, demand for imported meat is lower due to changes in consumption habits and economic adjustments.

Domestic production remains at record highs

In contrast to imports, and despite a decline from the previous year, domestic pork production remains strong at 57.06 million tonnes in 2024, marking the second-highest year of production in the last decade, behind only 2023 (57.94 million tonnes). This figure confirms the recovery of the industry after a sharp decline in 2019 and 2020 due to the African swine fever outbreak in August 2018, which reduced production in 2020 to 41.13 million tonnes.