Global pork flows have fundamentally changed in the past decade. Mexico is heading towards a new record high, while China’s import needs have declined massively after rebuilding its own pig herds.
The world’s five largest pork importers are expected to remain stable in 2026. According to current calculations by the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI), the projected import volume for this leading group will total approximately 5.7 million tons, which corresponds almost exactly to the previous year’s level. However, this stability masks a significant shift in global trade flows over the past ten years.
Mexico tops the global ranking. The Latin American country has nearly doubled its annual import volume within a decade. With an expected import volume of approximately 1.72 million tons, 2026 marks a historic high. Mexico is thus driving demand in the global pork market like no other country.
Japan follows closely behind in second place. The island nation has been characterized for many years by a continuous and reliable import of pork. A completely different trend is unfolding in third-placed China. Due to the spread of African swine fever (ASF), the People’s Republic had to drastically increase its imports starting in 2018, culminating in a record import volume of approximately 5.3 million tons in 2020 to compensate for enormous domestic losses. However, since China systematically and successfully ramped up its domestic pig farming in subsequent years, the demand for foreign deliveries is now shrinking rapidly. For 2026, an import volume of only an estimated 1.0 million tons is expected.
The Philippines and South Korea are in 4th and 5th place.
The Philippines and South Korea round out the top five importing nations. While both Asian markets are currently experiencing slight increases in import figures, their absolute import volumes are significantly lower than those of the top three nations.
