China produces nearly half of the world's pork domestically, but its main international sources for pork imports are Spain, Brazil, the United States, and Canada. Spain is the top exporter to China (23%–28% market share), while Brazil and the US have become significant suppliers.
Ranking as the top exporter and within the top 5 for pork production and consumption, the United States continues to be a major player in the world pork market (Table 1). China continues to outpace both the United States and the European Union in pork production and consumption.
Muyuan Foodstuff (Chinese: 牧原食品; pinyin: Mùyuán Shípǐn) is a Chinese food company specializing in pork production. As of 2023, Muyuan raises approximately 100 million and slaughters 63 million pigs per year. They operate the world's largest pig farm.
Approximately 55% of pork variety meats (offal) exports go to China. NPPC will continue to advocate for market access for U.S. pork products and facilities.
Tesco has today announced further support for its British farmers and suppliers with the relaunch and extension of its Tesco Sustainable Pig Group (TSPG). The group, developed in partnership with Tesco's long-term supplier, Cranswick, will cover all production methods used in the UK and include farms of varying sizes.
Over 99% of UK imports are sourced from within the EU27. Fresh/frozen pork is the largest category, with 106,600 tonnes received from the EU27 for the year to date, up 4% on 2023. Denmark and Germany hold the largest market shares at 25% and 23%, respectively.
In 2024, the main origins of China's Pig Meat imports were: Spain ($607M), Brazil ($533M), Netherlands ($140M), Denmark ($124M), and Canada ($124M). The fastest growing origins for Pig Meat imports in China between 2023 and 2024 was: Argentina ($1.72M).
China continues on as the world's largest importer of beef with their primary suppliers being Brazil and Argentina. The United States is not one of the top five suppliers of Chinese beef, but China is the third largest export market for U.S. beef. Japan and South Korea are also other major importers of beef.
And not only is ractopamine allowed, it's likely to be found in most of the pork you may eat, estimated to be given to as many as 80 percent of pigs in the United States. The drug is used to promote growth, increase muscle mass and improve feed efficiency in livestock.
Due to economic reforms implemented by Deng Xiaoping, industrial agriculture became favored over small farms, making it much easier for China to produce boatloads of cheap pork.
Berkshire Pork is coveted for its tender bite, its flavor, and its succulent fats and juices, and is featured in some of the finest restaurants around the world. Don't just take our word for it.
Spain. Some of the best pig breeds can be tracked down to Europe. Spain, sitting on Europe's Iberian Peninsula, is home to “walking olive trees” — Ibérico pigs. Esteemed for their rich and distinctive meat, the flavour of these pigs is developed from being fed acorns and bred in natural, open conditions.
The U.S. state that produces the most pork is Iowa, and it's not even close. Nearly one-third of all pigs in the country·are raised in Iowa, and the state produced 14.3 billion pounds of pork in 2022. With a population of 3.16 million humans and 24.6 million pigs, there are almost eight pigs for every human in Iowa.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world (36%) followed by poultry (33%), beef (24%), and goats/sheep (5%).
According to McDonald's, the fast-food chain's beef is obtained from a variety of farms across the globe, but the two biggest American suppliers are Oklahoma City-based Lopez Foods and Pennsylvania-based Keystone Foods.
The leading causes of death in China are dominated by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), primarily cardiovascular diseases (like stroke and heart disease) and cancers (especially lung cancer), followed by chronic respiratory diseases, with high rates linked to factors like smoking, high blood pressure, and air pollution, according to data from recent years.
In China, pork is preferred over beef for economic and aesthetic reasons; the pig is easy to feed and is not used for labour. The colours of the meat and the fat of pork are regarded as more appetizing, while the taste and smell are described as sweeter and cleaner. It is also considered easier to digest.
In 2025, China canceled 12,000 tons of US pork imports, with major shifts in pork trade. Explore the reasons behind China's ban, & how it reshapes US pork imports by country. In a surprising move, China announced in 2025 that it would be canceling all pork imports from the United States.
Smithfield Foods, Inc., is a Chinese-owned pork producer and food-processing company based in Smithfield, Virginia. Founded in 1936 as the Smithfield Packing Company by Joseph W. Luter and his son, the company is the largest pig and pork producer in the world.
At Lidl, we're so committed to backing the future of British farming that 100% of our fresh everyday milk, butter, eggs, cream, chicken, pork and beef comes from our British suppliers.
Chinese cuisine has long been a staple in the UK, with dishes like sweet and sour chicken, dim sum, and chow mein becoming household favourites. The demand for authentic Chinese ingredients has led to a robust import market, where key players work tirelessly to bring the flavours of China to British tables.
Trichinosis in commercially farmed pork is no longer a significant issue in the UK, with no human cases from UK-produced meat in decades due to strict farming controls, but the risk remains from wild game (like wild boar) or imported pork, requiring thorough cooking to kill parasites, especially for vulnerable groups. While UK domestic pigs are generally free of the parasite, testing in wildlife like feral pigs is ongoing to monitor the parasite's presence in the environment and ensure food safety, particularly as wild boar can carry it.
