All three companies selected for investigation are among the largest pork processors in Europe
China will be conducting detailed examinations of three major European pork processors as part of its recently announced investigation into alleged “dumping practices of pig products” on the Chinese market. The companies being investigated are Danish Crown (Denmark), Vion Food Group (the Netherlands), and Litera Meat (Spain). This initiative comes after China expressed concerns about unfair trade practices by EU pork exporters, following complaints from the China Animal Husbandry Association (CAHA). It is widely believed that this action is in response to the EU’s decision to impose a tariff on imported Chinese electric cars, despite denials from Chinese authorities.
According to the Pig Progress website, all three companies selected for investigation are among the largest pork processors in Europe. Danish Crown, the leading pork company in Europe, reported a turnover of €9.1 billion in 2023, with 25,800 employees. Vion had a turnover of €5.3 billion and employed around 12,000 people. Litera Meat, owned by Italy’s Pini Group, has an annual turnover of about €2 billion and employs approximately 1,600 staff.
It is important to note that the first two companies on the list are currently undergoing restructuring, which is expected to impact their figures in the coming years. Despite the allegations, all three companies have stated that they will fully cooperate and provide the Chinese authorities with all requested information. However, they strongly deny engaging in any unfair trade practices.
Laurens Hoedemaker, chairman of the Netherlands sector board COV, stated, “There is no dumping of European pork products on the Chinese market. We have every confidence that the investigation will prove that.” Similarly, the Danish Crown has committed to fully cooperating with the Chinese anti-dumping probe and has already submitted relevant information to the authorities.
Spain is the largest exporter of pork and pork products to China. In 2023, the Spanish pork industry exported 560,448 tonnes valued at €1.2 billion to China, with approximately 20 per cent of all Spanish pork exports going to China. When viewed from a Chinese perspective, about 21 per cent of all Chinese pork imports come from Spain.
