South Korea ...
South Korea
Imports Of U.S. Chilled Pork A Rising Trend
South Korea imported 236,874 metric tons (mt) of pork in the first 11 months of 2005, a 49 percent increase compared to the same 11 months of 2004. The U.S. pork industry had the largest share of the import market (22.5 percent) followed by Canada (21.7 percent). The United States also provided a record quantity of U.S. chilled pork — 4,131 mt, according to Korean statistics. The increase in imports of U.S. chilled pork was behind Korea’s percentage of chilled pork imports rising from 1.35 percent (Jan.-Nov. 2004) to 2.5 percent.
USMEF sees an expanding future for chilled pork exports to Korea and is promoting it extensively in restaurants and supermarkets. The Korean pork market is transitioning from a largely frozen commodity market to a market where steady sales of higher value, chilled U.S. products are possible year-round. Improved packaging technology, longer shelf life and enhanced transportation methods have dramatically increased the demand for chilled U.S. pork from 2003, when negligible quantities of chilled U.S. pork were exported to Korea. U.S. chilled pork is competitively priced compared to domestic chilled pork, and distributors of U.S. chilled pork have a well-established chilled distribution system. Targeted marketing by USMEF to restaurants and retail stores has stimulated the rapidly increasing consumption of chilled U.S. pork. The increasing number of franchised Korean pork belly restaurants need a consistent supply of chilled pork belly, and USMEF is working to persuade them to find this consistency of supply from the U.S. In early December, more than 200 Korean traders, wholesalers and retailers attended a day-long USMEF seminar on the current market situation, future opportunities and strategies for importing chilled U.S. pork.
On the domestic front, the number of hogs sold in November was the highest in the last seven months, in response to fears that prices will fall after South Korea resumes imports of U.S. beef. Both the Korean Swine Association and the Korea Milk and Dairy Beef Association are opposing the ending of the ban, for fear of falling domestic prices.
Although Chile has successfully increased its pork exports to Korea (28,468 in the first 11 months of 2005, according to Korean import figures, a 12 percent market share), Korean authorities in December imposed a temporary ban on pork imports from four Chilean plants for hygiene violations. Denmark, too, has had recent problems in Korea. Danish Crown voluntarily recalled its pork products after a salmonella detection on December 23, and Korean authorities have stepped up their inspections of Danish Crown’s facility.
South Korea
Imports Of U.S. Chilled Pork A Rising Trend
South Korea imported 236,874 metric tons (mt) of pork in the first 11 months of 2005, a 49 percent increase compared to the same 11 months of 2004. The U.S. pork industry had the largest share of the import market (22.5 percent) followed by Canada (21.7 percent). The United States also provided a record quantity of U.S. chilled pork — 4,131 mt, according to Korean statistics. The increase in imports of U.S. chilled pork was behind Korea’s percentage of chilled pork imports rising from 1.35 percent (Jan.-Nov. 2004) to 2.5 percent.
USMEF sees an expanding future for chilled pork exports to Korea and is promoting it extensively in restaurants and supermarkets. The Korean pork market is transitioning from a largely frozen commodity market to a market where steady sales of higher value, chilled U.S. products are possible year-round. Improved packaging technology, longer shelf life and enhanced transportation methods have dramatically increased the demand for chilled U.S. pork from 2003, when negligible quantities of chilled U.S. pork were exported to Korea. U.S. chilled pork is competitively priced compared to domestic chilled pork, and distributors of U.S. chilled pork have a well-established chilled distribution system. Targeted marketing by USMEF to restaurants and retail stores has stimulated the rapidly increasing consumption of chilled U.S. pork. The increasing number of franchised Korean pork belly restaurants need a consistent supply of chilled pork belly, and USMEF is working to persuade them to find this consistency of supply from the U.S. In early December, more than 200 Korean traders, wholesalers and retailers attended a day-long USMEF seminar on the current market situation, future opportunities and strategies for importing chilled U.S. pork.
On the domestic front, the number of hogs sold in November was the highest in the last seven months, in response to fears that prices will fall after South Korea resumes imports of U.S. beef. Both the Korean Swine Association and the Korea Milk and Dairy Beef Association are opposing the ending of the ban, for fear of falling domestic prices.
Although Chile has successfully increased its pork exports to Korea (28,468 in the first 11 months of 2005, according to Korean import figures, a 12 percent market share), Korean authorities in December imposed a temporary ban on pork imports from four Chilean plants for hygiene violations. Denmark, too, has had recent problems in Korea. Danish Crown voluntarily recalled its pork products after a salmonella detection on December 23, and Korean authorities have stepped up their inspections of Danish Crown’s facility.