I have once again seen media reports a) suggest that we can export 'bacon' to new markets, b) complain the UK pig sector is being protectionist re: USA etc, c) say it is unproductive as it is approx. 54% self-sufficient. All myths dispelled in a thread (pics/pigs included!) 1/15

2/15 The UK is about 54% self-sufficient in pork. This looks bad right? It is more nuanced than that. You see, we are s/s in some cuts but not others. The UK consumer prefers certain parts of a pig to others. Brits love loin (Bacon) and leg (ham, gammon), shoulder & belly less so

3/15 We have more than enough pigs to fulfil belly and shoulder demand, but not enough for loin and leg. As the previous graph shows, pig numbers are largely in the middle. So for every pig produced in the UK you have to find a home for *all* of it, and this creates challenges..

4/15 Most notably that you have to find a place for cuts where supply exceeds demand. This can be achieved by a) promoting it to UK consumers better as a cheap product or b) exporting it - ideally to places where they are more valued.

5/15 So far we are doing both. @AHDB_Pork have done a lot of work on promoting cheaper cuts for the UK market https://ahdb.org.uk/pulled-pork . Meanwhile, industry & Govt has opened up new markets around the world to export UK pork and 'fifth' quarter products (offal) where demand is high

6... as a result UK pork is exported around the globe to a variety of markets. Our biggest export market now is China, where pork demand is high generally & due to African swine fever, which has affected herds across Asia

7/15. UK pork exports= success story: selling the parts of the pig we don't eat and finding a market that pays good £ for them. UK pork exports to China are worth more £ than whisky! A HUGE vol of work goes into this from @AHDB_Pork @UKECPexports @tradegovuk @DefraGovUK +others

8/15. But what of the imports of pork to the UK? The UK has long had a history of importing pork. Anyone who has looked at a supermarket aisle will know that the sector cannot be accused of being protectionist - almost all imports come from the EU.

9/15. EU product is generally cheaper. There are many reasons for this, but regulation, investment environment for biz, feed all play a part. As ever, we in UK are a little peculiar in that we have 40% of our pigs outdoor bred (EU 99%), & c. 80% of all pigs on straw (EU 1-2%).

10/15 We do also have indoor slatted systems which is comparable to EU farms we import from. As a result, we have a 'tiered' system: f range, outdoor, indoor pigs, & imported each with their own price points. 95% of UK pigs are under @RedTractorFood- it is above EU base standards

11/15. EU production does have intra-differences, but production is very different overall to US, Canada and S America. Sow stalls, ractopamine & routine antibiotic use are examples of what aren't permitted across EU. US pork is v cheap compared to EU http://shorturl.at/btCQR 

12/15. As an aside, the Europeans think we Brits are mad Monty Python eccentrics because we have an outdoor sector and also because we use straw. These are historical and climactic but form our market USP. Here is my dad observing his lovely straw (I def inherited the pose)

13/15. As Covid-19 showed, the UK pork sector was not too badly hit by loss of food service outlets. Why? Because it mostly (not always) uses imported pork (there is very little labelling transparency in food service - stats are therefore hard to get hold of!) More --> retail

14/15. We should also remember that pigs are *so* much more than meat! Medicine, instruments, fertilisers, paints, oils, plastics all come from the humble pig (on top of many great meat products)!

15/15. Conclusions.

1. Importing pork happens.
2. If you want to help improve UK self-sufficiency, buy more belly, shoulder or offal
3. Standards & regulations have costs - this is key for trade deals and cheaper meat imports
4. Have a great BBQ today with some pork!

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