Pork: Movement

Why Europe, not China, is the world's biggest pork exporter

Why Europe, not China, is the world's biggest pork exporter What this tab covers How it flows between countries: the largest bilateral trade routes drawn on a world map, 2024 UN Comtrade export and import values with the top exporters and importers by share, plus shipping routes, chokepoints and trade restrictions.

Comtrade records $36.3 billion of pig meat exports (HS 0203) in 2024. The United States (18.0%) and Spain (17.5%) lead, followed by Germany, Canada, Brazil and Denmark, so the EU as a bloc is the largest supplier. Imports are less concentrated: Japan takes 12.3%, Mexico 9.4%, Italy 8.9%, and China and South Korea 6.0% each. China, the swing buyer when its herd collapsed after 2018, now takes a modest share. One swine fever case can shut an exporter out of key markets overnight, and trade disputes bring tariffs too.

Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows

Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024. Bubbles: shares of reported world exports and imports for the main traded form. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.

Pork · HS 0203

World exports 2024 $36.3 bn sum of 40 reporting countries World imports 2024 $34.7 bn sum of 40 reporting countries Top exporters, share of value United States 18% Spain 17.5% Germany 11.2% Canada 8.8% Brazil 7.8% Denmark 7.6% Top importers, share of value Japan 12.3% Mexico 9.4% Italy 8.9% China 6% South Korea 6% Poland 5.6% UN Comtrade, reporter declarations to the world, US$. Exports and imports are reported separately, so totals differ. Re-exporting hubs (Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE) can appear large.