Source by: www.euromeatnews.com

Spain’s growth in pork exports was based on a significant increase in production in the first half of this year.

Spain exported 6% more pork in the first six months of 2018 compared to year-earlier levels, reaching over 860,000 tonnes, but the value of these shipments fell by 1% to €2.2 billion, according to an analysis published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Duncan Wyatt, Lead Analyst at AHDB, explained that the average unit value of the pork shipments was almost 7% lower than last year when being priced in Euros.

The Spanish pork production increased by 8.5% in the first five months of 2018, surpassing 2 million tonnes of pork.

Slaughterings totaled 22.6 million pigs, with an average carcase weight of 88.8kg, 1.6kg heavier than during the same period in 2017.

According to Eurostat data, Spain has now the largest pig herd in Europe, built on 2.45 million sows. Wyatt says the Spanish pork production has gone from strength to strength in recent years. In December 2017 the pig population was recorded at nearly 30 million head, almost 10 million higher than it was 20 years ago.