Volumes fell to 251,000 tonnes and the value of these imports also fell during this period, down 15 per cent to €407 million, with the average unit price down 9 per cent.

Shipments from Germany, which accounted for more than a third of total volumes, were down 2 per cent, and Danish imports were back by 17 per cent. However, imports from Spain and the Netherlands were up 6 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

Despite a fall in shipments of fresh/frozen pork to Italy, imports of live pigs in the first quarter increased by 26 per cent, to 428,000 head. This was driven by a significant increase in Danish imports, which were up 31 per cent, and accounted for almost half of all live pig imports to Italy.

Spanish shipments also recorded substantial growth, albeit in smaller numbers, and were up 82 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Italian pork export volumes are much lower than imports, at 17.4 thousand tonnes in Q1. This was still an increase of 17 per cent on Q1 2015. Although smaller in volumes, exports of processed pork continued to show strong growth. Shipments were up 12 per cent on the year earlier, fuelled by increased exports to Spain, France and Germany.