Pork industry explored in Mexican mission to the UK

Delegates from the Mexican livestock industry will be learning more about the UK’s pork sector when they arrive in the country this weekend.

The six-day mission, organised by ourselves with support from the Department for International Trade (DIT) in Mexico, is to help promote UK pork in this all-important market.

During the visit, delegates will tour farms, processors, supermarkets and a leading pig farming and genetics specialist.

The programme will also include a day at the Great Yorkshire Show, one of the biggest agricultural events in the English calendar, displaying the best of British farming, food and the countryside, where the group will have an opportunity to meet with several stakeholders from the farming sector.

Among the delegation are vets from the state of Jalisco, an important retailer from the north of the country and Mexican media – who will all get a chance to see first-hand the entire pork production process from farm to fork.

AHDB Senior Export Manager Susana Morris said the visit presents an incredible opportunity to showcase UK pork to influential industry experts in the Mexican market. 

Last summer, Susana attended the Mexican pork congress with the British Pig Association to help open up the Mexican market

“This is a fantastic chance to highlight the quality of our product and underline our high animal welfare, strict control of antibiotic use, world-leading assurance schemes and, of course, the exceptional taste and texture of our pork.

“As well as visiting retailers and farms, we will also provide an overview of our work in genetics for breeding purposes and exchange best practices with our visitors.

“Mexico is a significant market for our pork trade and we are in progressive discussions with the Mexican authorities regarding market access for pork. Last year, the country imported almost a million tonnes of pig meat, excluding offal – with the lion’s share coming from the US.”

Susana Morris has worked closely with DIT Mexico since 2018, with the aim of diversifying the market, promoting UK pork and warming up the interest of companies for the future opening of the market.