UK pork exporters gain access to Mexican market for the first time

03 Sep 2021 --- British farmers and food producers are set to benefit from access to a valuable new market, as Mexico has opened its doors to British pork for the first time. British exporters can now tap into this brand-new market, which boasts high demand for high-quality pork meat.

Mexico is the second Latin American market open for British pork, after the Dominican Republic.

According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), access to the Mexican market alone is estimated to be worth £50 million (US$69 million) to UK pork producers over the first five years of trade.

Global UK pork exports were worth over £421 million (US$582 million) to the British economy in 2020, reaching 75 export markets worldwide. 

UK pork is globally recognized for its provenance, quality and traceability.Meat success 
The move is another breakthrough for UK food and drink exports, following success in gaining UK beef access to the US, UK poultry, beef and lamb to Japan, and pork to Taiwan.

“It is great to see another market open its doors to high quality, high welfare UK produce,” says Defra secretary of state George Eustice.

“Access to the Mexican market, with its substantial demand for high-quality pork, will be a welcome boost for our pig farmers and producers. This is a significant development, which will reinforce our global reputation for quality food and drink.”

UK pork is globally recognized for its provenance, quality and traceability. 

Through the Great Britain and Northern Ireland campaign, the UK government aims to raise the international profile and reputation of food and drink from across the UK and help more food and drink companies export their produce abroad.

Ongoing negotiations 
The latest development follows over four years of negotiations and inspections. 

The Mexican National Department for Health, Safety and Agricultural and Food Quality (SENASICA) inspected numerous premises throughout the UK during a visit in February 2020, which led to a decision to approve four processing facilities and four associated cold stores in England and Wales.

These inspections were led by Defra and the UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP) and hosted by the AHDB, with support from UK national and devolved government departments and agencies, including DIT Mexico.

The UK and Mexico have committed to negotiating a new and ambitious free trade agreement this year, going much further than the existing deal.

These negotiations will complement the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an increasingly influential trade network of 11 dynamic economies spanning from the Indo-Pacific region to the Americas.

Jonathan Knott, UK trade commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, is “delighted that British pork can finally enter the Mexican market” after four years of intense negotiations with the Mexican authorities.

“Once again, Mexican consumers can enjoy these quality British products – and UK pork exporters have access to this important and growing market. Another success in our campaign is to reduce barriers to trade between our countries,” he says. 

Reaping “huge wins”Mexico is the second Latin American market open for British pork, after the Dominican Republic.
According to International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, the move is “a huge win” for British farmers and food producers.

“British businesses can look forward to the benefits of a new and ambitious trade agreement with Mexico, which we will be negotiating this year, and wins like these are an important step toward our accession to CPTPP that will see our global trade hit new heights.”

“The announcement is a fantastic boost for the UK’s pork industry and offers another potential export market for our red meat during a challenging year,” adds AHDB’s international market development director Dr. Phil Hadley.

“Pork from the UK is trusted and favored worldwide due to its exceptional quality, high welfare and food safety standards. This new approval will offer a wealth of opportunities for our exporters and is a testament to the hard work of industry and government to open new markets as we look to the future,” he underscores. 

Pork will join a broad range of livestock genetics that the UK already successfully exports to Mexico. 

“Access for bovine embryos was secured in 2020, joining bovine semen, a market worth over £130,000 (US$180,000) annually over the last five years. Consequently, our high-quality cattle breeds are helping to develop Mexican herds. In addition, we have a well-established ovine genetics export market from the UK, with rams and ewes being bred in Mexico,” Hadley notes. 

Earlier this week, the Food and Drink Federation, revealed that non-EU exports are now almost back to pre-COVID level. The fastest-growing major export markets in the region were Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Brazil. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green