A major export deal has seen the start of pork exports to China this week. The deal involves three slaughterhouses and a throughput of about 10,000 animals per week to reach 100,000 tonnes this year.
This one export deal doubles Portuguese pork exports and represents a significant cash injection for the pig farming sector.
The first ten containers, with 270 tonnes of meat worth €1 million, were due to leave on Wednesday from the port of Sines, destination: the Chinese province of Hunan.
Chinese buyers already have indicated they want to double the trade next year, predicted export earnings of €200 million.
Inspections are scheduled for later this year to ratify three more slaughterhouses, in Alcanede, Montijo and Lisbon.
This welcome export business is not a net boost as the pork markets in Argentina and Venezuela have fallen away due to 'local difficulties.'
