In a special report from Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), senior red meat analyst Rebecca Wright highlights continued growth in Mexican pork production.

Pork production in Mexico stood at 1.9 million tonnes cwe last year, according to the USDA, she said. As well as being a large producer, Mexico also imports a large volume, mainly from the US. According to Bill of Landing data Mexico imported 1.1 million tonnes product weight in 2021, a marked increase on the prior year.

In 2022, Mexican pork production is forecast to rise to 1.6 million tonnes cwe. Productivity of the Mexican sow population compared to their European counterparts is lower, although some gains are being made. As in Europe, recent rises in input costs will cause some challenges and squeeze profitability.

Wright expects domestic demand will strengthen in Mexico, similar to other countries, as the food service sector continues to recover post-Covid.

"Rising food inflation may hamper demand, although currently pork remains an affordable protein option in Mexico," wrote Wright. "If consumers do look to trade down in protein choice, pork offal is often a popular choice."

Wright said import volumes are also expected to grow this year, pointing to the resumption of trading for street food stalls and restaurants. Export volumes are also expected to grow. Most Mexican pig meat exports are of high value, labour intensive products to the US, Japan and South Korea.