Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1452

Canada Pork International predicts growth in the volume of Canadian pork exports will slow during 2004 after setting a new record in 2003.

Figures released by Statistics Canada show total exports of Canadian pork in 2003 hit 923 thousand tonnes, an increase of almost 100 thousand tonnes over 2002.

Canada Pork International Executive Director Jacques Pomerleau says, while the volume of Canadian exports rose sharply, the increase in the value of those exports was not as large.

"Canada exported to over 90 countries in 2003. The increase is shared among most markets.

Our major markets still are the United States, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Australia and China. There was an increase in value between 2003 and 2002 but it's not that much, which means the unit price is lower in 2003 than it was in 2002 and that reflects the overall market.

The forecast for 2004 is that, if there is an increase in production in Canada, there will also be an increase in exports all over the world from Canada but we should not expect a huge increase in exports in 2004".

Pomerleau warns, while the Stats-Can figures suggest 2003 Canadian pork exports were dramatically higher than 2002, we have to be careful with those numbers.

He says Statistics Canada has underestimated exports in the past so, although it may look like there was a huge increase, it might not be that large.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.