U.S. Pork Promotion at SIAL India Focuses on Relationships, Awareness

Creating awareness and building relationships in a market with great potential, USMEF met with importers and promoted U.S. pork at the SIAL India trade show at the Pragati Maidan event center in New Delhi. The activity was funded by the National Pork Board.

Representatives of Indian food companies gather at the USMEF booth during the SIAL India trade show in New Delhi

More than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries -- Canada, China, Russia, South Korea and Spain among them – displayed food products and discussed business opportunities with India’s food and food processing sectors.

While U.S. pork currently does not have access to India, Monty Brown, USMEF representative in the region, says making contacts and staying in touch with importers will pay off when the market opens.

“USMEF’s aim at this trade show was to raise the awareness of U.S. pork and elevate our presence as we await an agreement between the U.S. and India that will allow us to start shipping product,” said Brown, who made previous visits to India to research the market and lay the groundwork for promoting U.S. pork. “We remain optimistic that soon, possibly as a result of meetings between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi (held this week in Washington, D.C.), that U.S. pork will have access to India.”

USMEF met with importers interested in U.S. pork during SIAL India and shared information about U.S. pork production and quality

This was only SIAL's second year in India, and Brown distributed information about the safety of U.S. pork and the excellent production practices of the U.S. industry.

“It is important to refute the perception that all pigs are dirty, and to show that U.S. pigs are not roaming the streets and rooting through garbage, as is quite often the case with hogs in India,” explained Brown, noting that most of India’s domestic pork production is backyard farming.

Brown said SIAL attracted many companies interested in importing U.S. pork. He also met with representatives of companies that make processed meat products for export to India – one based in Sri Lanka and the other in Singapore. These processing companies are interested in obtaining U.S. pork raw material, once it is approved for India.

“The agricultural attaché for Brazil stopped by the USMEF booth, and I could sense that he was disappointed that no Brazilian company was in attendance,” said Brown. “I fully expect that Brazil will have a stand at the 2020 SIAL India to showcase that country’s meat products.”

A small but growing market for pork imports, India is seen as a strong candidate for long-term growth.

“They’re buying pork now from the European Union, mostly from Spain and Belgium, but Canada has access and will also be a big competitor,” said Brown. “That’s why we must continue to be visible in India and keep working the market. Once U.S. pork has access, we want to hit the ground running.”