China sees pork trade deficit through February

China’s imports of pork products, including frozen pork, processed pork, minced pork, and live pigs, rocketed 308% in the first two months to US$146 million, leading to a US$10.04 million trade deficit, compared to a US$102 million surplus a year earlier, the Jinghua Times reported, citing the Ministry of Agriculture figures. Trade in frozen pork was the main reason behind the deficit. In the first two months, China exported 115,000 tons of frozen pork, down 55.19% year-on-year, while imported 488,000 tons, up 1100% year-on-year. Separately, statistics from the ministry show prices for milk as raw materials in six major milk producing places in northern China, including Beijing and Tianjin municipalities and Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, and Heilongjiang provinces, averaged US$0.42 (RMB2.93) per kilogram in the first quarter, up 50.2% year-on-year. Prices in Beijing, Tianjin, and Heibei declined although Heibei still had the highest price of US$0.45 (RMB3.12) per kilogram.