DES MOINES, IOWA – New reports released by the National Pork Board (NPB) and the Pork Checkoff identified Vietnam and the Philippines as emerging markets for US pork exports.  

The findings were based on research from Gira, a global research firm, with funding from the Pork Checkoff and the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service Emerging Markets Program. Ongoing difficulties with African swine fever (ASF) throughout Asia and in the two countries’ pork supply chains were reasons cited by the reports as a place to export product.

“The annual Pork Checkoff producer survey identified diversification of US pork exports as a top priority,” said Norman Bessac, vice president of international marketing for the Pork Checkoff. “These reports will help exporters position the US pork industry as a supplier of choice in both countries, helping to expand our export options and create even greater value for the more than 60,000 pig farmers here.”

Gira’s research suggested that pork consumption and import demand will increase in both Vietnam and the Philippines in the near future. They also projected that an increase in demand will happen as pork consumption decreases by 2030 in other markets around the world. 

“The predicted growth in these two markets is based on the rise in the middle classes and pork’s popularity in Vietnamese and Filipino cuisines,” Gira said in its report.

Since 2000, Vietnam has seen total pork consumption more than triple in the country. The Gira/NPB reports also said that more of the country’s population is moving into cities from rural areas for higher wages. This is leading to an increased demand for pork.

In the Philippines, the overall population continues to rise and is also moving into urban areas with a majority of the Filipino population projected to be moving to cities by 2028. 

Additionally, Gira predicted that Vietnam will not recover to its pre-ASF pork production levels until after 2025. The Philippines is also expected to not recover from ASF until after 2030. 

“These reports show how the Checkoff is committed to listening to producer feedback, collecting market insights and implementing programs with the goal of adding value for US pork producers through exports,” said Curtis Meier, a pork producer from Iowa. “Exports are one of the greatest opportunities for our industry’s future success, but it’s also our greatest risk if we rely too heavily on a few international markets.”

The complete report on Vietnam and the Philippines can be accessed here.