Exporters hope to boost British pork and beef shipments to Philippinesr

Exporters are seeking to boost British pork and beef shipments to the Philippines, a market which is currently the third largest destination for such products.

Five British export firms, along with the AHDB, have showcased pork and beef at the biggest trade show in the Philippines, the World Food Expo (WOFEX).

The companies joined the levy board in the British Meat Pavilion at the Manila expo to explore further opportunities for pork and beef – the two most popular red meat proteins in that market.

The Philippines is the third largest pork export market for the UK and in 2022 the UK shipped pork and beef worth a total of £58.5 million there.

WOFEX, from 2 August to 5 August, provided the platform for exporters to meet with key importers and other stakeholders in the market to build on existing business relationships and develop new opportunities.

It followed the recent launch of AHDB’s new export strategy Beyond Borders which is aimed at increasing market access and export sales while supporting more businesses to export.

Jonathan Eckley, AHDB head of international trade development, said: “WOFEX is a key event in the industry calendar in what is an important market for our pork and beef exporters.

“It has given us the ideal opportunity to host UK exporters in Manila and meet key stakeholders in this important Asian market, and follow up with both existing and potential new clients.

“We enjoyed positive growth in the Philippines last year for UK exports of pork and beef, although the market is currently experiencing a number of challenges.

“This makes it even more important to showcase the UK meat sectors at events like WOFEX to continue to build the important business relationships and maintain the positive momentum from 2022.”

Food and drink exports from the UK hit record highs in 2022, with exports to non-EU markets breaking through the £10 billion barrier for the very first time.

The value of red meat exports also reached record levels, worth a staggering £858 million in the first half of 2022.