Issues & Insights

Issues & Insights

Newcastle disease in supply region for one-third of Brazilian chicken bound for Korea... Import disruption a variable

An outbreak of Newcastle disease in Santa Catarina state, a major chicken export region in Brazil, has introduced a disease control variable into the international poultry trade. With Mexico suspending imports of Brazilian poultry products, attention is focused on South Korea's quarantine response and the impact on future supply as the country imports chicken from this region.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.19

SPECIAL FOCUS

"Not selling even at lowered prices… Domestic pig's trotters piling up in cold storage"

In the past, front and hind trotters were sold bundled together, but now the situation demands that suppliers select and supply only the specific parts desired by the buyer. The primary meat processing industry explains that trotters that cannot be sold while refrigerated end up in cold storage, and it is difficult to find buyers even if prices are significantly lowered. The problem is particularly severe for frozen trotters, as the sales channels themselves have been blocked rather than just the drop in selling prices. Unlike regular meat, the bones remain attached, making it difficult to utilize them as raw materials for other processing. The domestic trotter market is currently facing complex issues that go beyond simple price drops, including changes in trading practices, the accumulation of frozen inventory, and the restructuring of the distribution system.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.19

SPECIAL FOCUS

Spanish meat processing industry announces five-day general strike from November 9 to 13… Concerns over disruptions to pork export supply

Spanish trade unions CCOO de Industria and UGT-FICA have announced a five-day nationwide strike from November 9 to 13 as negotiations for a national collective bargaining agreement in the meat industry have reached a deadlock. They have expanded the schedule for industry-wide strikes, which were originally planned for a single day on November 11.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.18

SPECIAL FOCUS

Crackdown on illegally imported livestock products, extending to retailers and warehouses... Imprisonment penalties to be pursued for distribution

If pork or sausages banned from import are sold in domestic grocery stores, who can crack down on them? A bill to expand the authority of animal quarantine officers has been submitted to the National Assembly to address the situation where illegal livestock products pass through airport and seaport inspections and flow into domestic sales networks.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.17

SPECIAL FOCUS

Brazilian Pork Exports to China Expanded... Includes Internal By-products, Skin, and Bones

China has allowed the import of Brazilian pig internal by-products, pig skin, and pig bones. This measure follows the sanitary protocol for expanding pig by-product exports signed between Brazil and China on September 26.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.17

DEEP DIVE

Hanwoo Exports Up 60%, But Market Concentration and Quarantine Barriers: One Hurdle After Another

Hanwoo exports are increasing rapidly. The government has also presented a plan to link Hanwoo with the global K-food export promotion system. However, 88% of export volume is concentrated in the two markets of Hong Kong and Singapore, and on-site issues such as slaughter and quarantine procedures for export and restrictions on market access due to livestock diseases remain unresolved.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.13

DEEP DIVE

Meat is abundant, yet fat is scarce… The paradox of A-fat supporting domestic Fuji prices

A supply-demand imbalance is emerging in the domestic pork raw meat market, characterized by an oversupply of meat and a shortage of fat. While domestic pork hind leg meat is facing price pressure due to the expansion of alternative sourcing options, such as imported shoulder cuts, the price of pork A-grade fat—essential for manufacturing dumplings, ham, and sausages—is actually skyrocketing. Industry sources suggest that linked purchasing, which involves buying even hind leg meat to secure fat, is propping up the price of hind leg meat.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.13

SPECIAL FOCUS

US Meat Exports Show Mixed Trends… Beef Up 4%, Pork Down 6%

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) export statistics released by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) on October 7, U.S. beef exports in August 2026 totaled 86,362 tons, a 4% increase from the same month of the previous year. Export value rose 13% to $785.9 million.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.11

SPECIAL FOCUS

Meat delivered within 1 hour… Sales and volume of meat processing companies supplying B-Mart double

Order and transaction volume in the first half of the year increased by 42% compared to the same period last year, and fresh food sales also grew by more than 50%. In fact, it was confirmed that both sales and sales volume through B Mart at meat processing companies more than doubled compared to the previous year.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.10

SPECIAL FOCUS

“Agricultural Production Declines by 710 Billion Won Annually”… Hanwoo and Hanpork Industries Rally in Gwanghwamun on the 15th

The agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries, opposing the government's review of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), will hold a large-scale joint rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on the 15th.

Editorial Team · 2026.10.8

terrestrial broadcast

[Parliamentary Audit] 6 Cases of Mad Cow Disease and Controversy Over Notification Delays… Emerging as Key Issues in Brazilian Beef Import Negotiations

강동현 기자, 김소영 기자 · 2026.10.7

terrestrial broadcast

Parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs begins on the 7th… Audits of the Korea Animal Production and Health Agency, Animal Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and Livestock Environmental Management Agency on the first day

The 2026 parliamentary audit of the National Assembly Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, and Fisheries Committee will begin in earnest on the 7th at 10 a.m., starting with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The overall parliamentary audit began on the 6th, and the first audit schedule for the agriculture and livestock sectors is the 7th.

강동현 기자 · 2026.10.5