The year 2023 confirms a cycle change that began in 2022 for the white-coated pork sector “in which social and environmental values, as well as food safety, prevail. As a result, the sector generates more economic, social and environmental value.” This was explained by Alberto Herranz, director of the White Coated Pig Interprofessional (INTERPORC), in a press conference in which he detailed the results of the white coated pig sector during 2023.
The data, he said, “draw a scenario of sectoral evolution after a decade of great growth driven by the competitiveness of companies and people, as well as the quality of the products.”
Now, the new x-ray of pork is that of “a resilient and competitive sector that combines value and volume objectives.” The pig livestock census stood at 30.06 million animals, which represents a slight decrease compared to the previous year (-1.9%); and meat production reached 4.88 million tons (-2.9%).
These results “confirm this process of adaptation of the productive structure of the sector already begun in 2022, and indicate the sector’s commitment to productive efficiency through circular economy projects; sustainability; biosecurity; animal welfare; or food safety throughout the chain.
Pork remains the sector with the most important trade balance in the agri-food system and consolidates its status as a strategic sector for the Spanish economy.
Exports
Regarding the results of exports, Daniel de Miguel, International Director of INTERPORC, explained that the sector surpassed the barrier of 9,000 million euros for the first time in 2023. In total, it sold 2.8 million tons of meat and pork products outside our borders (-4.4%), for a value of 9,030 million euros (+9.1%). Which indicates that, despite the slight reduction in volume, there has been an increase in the exported value.
The positive impact has been clearly seen in the foreign trade balance, which has grown by 8.9% to reach 8,409.7 million euros. With this, pork remains the sector with the most important trade balance in the agri-food system and consolidates its status as a strategic sector for the Spanish economy.
For Alberto Herranz, these data show that “the pork sector works with conviction in building solid foundations for the future through sustainable production that anticipates the demands of current consumers in animal welfare and environmental protection.”
Thanks to that, the 2023 balance confirms that “we continue to be competitive and continue to generate value. That is the map of the new scenario in which we find ourselves,” he concluded.
