Expanded Production Needed to Capture Full Market Potential for Pork in China

The Canadian Pork Council suggests, for Canada’s pork industry to take full advantage of the market potential offered in China, it will need to be prepared to expand and modernize its current production capacity

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online

Representatives of the Canadian pork industry accompanied federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence McCauley on a ten day, three city trade mission to China this month to meet with potential new customers and explore new marketing opportunities.

“They want to see the Canadian product, how it’s raised and processed, and feel connected with what they’re buying”

 

“It really is a country that has yet to be tapped – in a sense – where there are Chinese companies regularly wanting to build relationships with Canadian processors and traders just because there is a demand,” Gary Stordy, the Manager of Public Relations with the Canadian Pork Council said during his online interview on FarmScape Online. “Right now, frankly, if we had more production taking place, more animals going to slaughter, we would have a market for it.”

He says the Chinese market is incredibly important and it’s been quickly building over the last several years.

“Some of the Achilles heel is trying to maximize it, moving forward on a domestic basis because we need to create the environment where producers are confident in their industry, want to reinvest, have their children participate in hog production, and ultimately build and reconstruct barns so that we can be more efficient while replacing some of the existing production facilities that are at a point of needing upgrades.”

Stordy added Chinese customers want to be engaged.

“They want to see the Canadian product, how it’s raised right through the supply chain from the farm up through processing, and feel connected with what they’re buying.”

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online