LONDON — UK officials reported in the last few days that the country would be allowed to export pork products again to China after the two countries signed a new agreement lifting COVID-era restrictions that were in place.

The British government estimated a boost in revenue of £80 million with pork products being sent to China again. 

During 2023, China bought around £180 million in pork products from the United Kingdom. Products exported last year included sausages and bacon, along with other British pork products. 

“China is our biggest export market for the pork sector and today’s announcement of the re-listing of two UK sites is very welcome news for the industry,” said Graham Wilkinson, chief executive officer for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). “AHDB, working closely with government and industry has played an integral part in this process, organizing technical discussions by gathering evidence to support official engagements and highlighting the economic value to the UK pork meat industry. Today’s announcement demonstrates how this collaborative approach delivers tangible benefits for our levy payers.”

The development of the deal came after British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited China in October. 

Representatives from Defra and the Department for Business and Trade have worked to get British pork back on Chinese menus in collaboration with industry, the AHDB and the UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP).