The U.S Meat Export Federation is planning to fill the fresh pork supply shortfall in Hong Kong with U.S. chilled pork.
The African Swine Fever Virus caused the number of live hogs coming into Hong Kong from China to drop by fifty percent, with the numbers running below 2,000 head per day.
“This has caused a shortage of local, fresh pork, and the fresh pork product that is available is being sold at much higher prices,” says Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific.
He says the opportunity could benefit the U.S. industry in both the short and long term, as more Asian consumers get used to chilled pork.
“The opportunity for more pork supplies has never been better,” Haggard adds.
It does take a bit more time shipping to Hong Kong than it does to Japan and Korea.
Also, the wet market vendors in the country will need to be taught the proper way to handle the vacuum-packaged chilled product.
“The product will initially be sold in supermarket chains,” Haggard says.
“More than 100 supermarkets in Hong Kong are selling U.S. chilled pork, along with some of the city’s traditional wet markets.”
Haggard says this is the largest chilled pork distribution that USMEF has ever seen, calling it, “satisfying to see it finally come to fruition.”
