Intra-European trade in meat and pork coproducts: recent trends and developments in the main flows and identification of markets of interest[Le commerce intra-européen des viandes et coproduits du porc : tendances et évolutions récentes des principaux flux et identification des marchés d'intérêt]

The market for meat cuts lies at the heart of intra-European trade. Each year, nearly 8 million tons of pork products are traded between member states of the European Union (EU), or around one-third of the EU-28's production. Among these pork products, pork cuts represent 60% of trade, but processed products, bacon and offal also contribute greatly. Given the importance of intra-European trade, the objective of the study was to specify its volume, value, and average unit price per product. The study helps understand specific characteristics of the EU market and highlight dynamics of the types of products exported and the main trading partners. Eurostat's international trade statistics make it possible to monitor the volume and value of trade flows between countries for a variety of product categories defined by an 8-digit Combined Nomenclature. The statistical analysis covered the period 2000-2020. Since 2000, trade in pork products has grown steadily, especially in boneless cuts. This is in line with increasing EU production and the search for added value, which pushes operators to produce cuts. However, faced with the increase in exports to Asia, especially China, in the past three years, the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, and the appearance of African swine fever in Germany, the usual dynamics have been disrupted. The map of intra-European trade has been reconfigured, with a sharp drop in exports of cuts.