This is likely related to the strong demand from China, with Hong Kong re-exporting a significant proportion of imported meat into this destination. As such, the reported export volume to China has almost quadrupled on 2015 for the January-September period, reaching 43,700 tonnes. A decline in domestic production, due to reduced live imports from China, where the pig price has rocketed, has also likely buoyed the demand for imported pig meat.

Brazil has remained the primary source of imported pork in Hong Kong, with volumes almost doubling on the year to the end of September.

However, the US has made significant gains, increasing its market share by 7 per cent on 2015, following shipment volumes tripling to 38,300 tonnes.

Hong Kong does not hold the same ban on Racotampine-treated pork as China and so some US producers may have found this market easier to access.

Shipments from EU countries have increased in line with total imports, though some Member States have made notable advances. Though from a small base, Italian imports trebled during the first nine months of the year, to almost 3,000 tonnes. Spanish shipments more than doubled, giving them a 5 per cent share of the total import market. UK volumes also more than doubled during this period, to 2,800 tonnes.