| Farm-Scape for July 13, 2000 (Episode 471)
The US based National Pork Producers Council is counting on the Chinese market as it targets a doubling of American pork exports.
A mere eight years ago the United States was a net importer of pork but, in that short period of time, the American pork industry has reversed that trend and is now the world's second largest exporter of pork.
NPPC Demand Enhancement Vice President Dallas Hockman credits the quality of the US product for four consecutive years of increased demand both domestically and internationally.
Clip-Dallas Hockman-National Pork Producers Council
The real barometer for us is what we refer to as pork demand, demand being measured by the volume of product you sell and what the consumer is willing to pay for it.
We have been through our fourth record year now of demand increase which we think is a very good indication of the growth and the positive things that have happened.
We currently export approximately seven per cent of our total production which makes us the second largest exporter in the world.
Obviously we have sights set on being the number one exporter and, by the nature of the quality of our product and attention to detail that we have paid in the last few years, it's opened up a lot of opportunity for us in the markets.
We think, within a very short period of time, that we will be the number one exporter of product and we think that is a very likelihood of being able to double our exports.
That moving us to 15 per cent of our total production which provides us great opportunities.
With the advent of China potentially coming on board, China alone could easily double our exports.
Hockman says US pork is enjoying increased demand in all categories, on both the domestic and the export side.
He says, domestically, sales of pork have increased in every restaurant category including fast food, casual dining, white table cloth, business institution and school service while retail sales have consistently seen double digit increases.
For Farm-Scape...I'm Bruce Cochrane. |