Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 10/23/15

The global pork market is expected to grow slowly in the fourth quarter, according to Rabobank’s quarterly pork report, with “adverse” exchange rates limiting global trade in pork and creating supply-and-demand mismatches that boost prices in some areas and push them downward in others, the agrifinance company said in a news release.

Depreciating currencies in key markets for pork imports put a damper on that trade in the first part of the third quarter, followed by a boost in imports by China that sent prices back higher. But traditional pork supplier countries, including the U.S., were unable to meet the demand and did not benefit from the price increases.

The global pork market will slowly improve toward the end of 2015 and into next year, Rabobank projects, although exchange rate developments will continue to affect both volume and returns in key export markets.

Over the long term, Rabobank calculates, a main factor will be how much the pork production market will grow in those countries that historically have been pork importers. If it grows sufficiently, it will hurt hog production in exporting countries where the herds already are rebuilding as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus remains under control.

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