Wednesday, 04 December 2024 12:55

Pork imports furore

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

NZPork chief executive Brent Kleiss.

Pork farmers says a significant influx of imported pork is causing them concern.

NZPork says much of it is from countries that permit pig farming practices illegal in New Zealand, and in some cases, have herds affected by African Swine Fever (ASF).

According to data from NZPork, between January and September this year, imported pork accounted for nearly 62% of pork consumed in New Zealand.

New Zealand imported a total of 66,686 carcass weight equivalent tonnes (CWE) of pork, up from 65,566 CWE in 2023.

In comparison, local pig farmers produced 41,099 CWE tonnes of New Zealand-born and raised pork, slightly down from 41,789 CWE last year.

"Almost two-thirds of the pork consumed in New Zealand is imported, yet there are no requirements for these imports to meet our stringent pig welfare standards," says Brent Kleiss, chief executive of NZPork.

Featured

Āta Regenerative Brings Global Soil and Water Experts to New Zealand Farms

Āta Regenerative is bringing international expertise to New Zealand to help farmers respond to growing soil and water challenges, as environmental monitoring identifies declining ecosystem function and reduced water-holding capacity across farms.

Yili’s New Zealand Dairy Group Posts Record $1.58 Billion Revenue

Yili's New Zealand businesses have reported record profits following a major organisational and strategic transformation.

Hino Truck Owners Have 10 Days Left to Register for Proposed $10.9M Settlement

Owners and lessees of certain Hino Trucks New Zealand diesel vehicles have just 10 days remaining to register or opt out of a proposed $10.9 million class action settlement.

Silver Fern Farms Airfreights 90 Tonnes of Chilled Meat to UAE Amid Freight Disruptions

Silver Fern Farms has successfully produced and delivered 90 tonnes of premium chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates via airfreight.

New Zealand Tractor Sales Climb 5% in First Quarter of 2026

For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.

FAO Warns Strait of Hormuz Fertilizer Crisis Could Tighten Global Food Supplies Into 2027

QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has issued a warning saying that global fertiliser scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies into 2027.