‘There’s no place like home’ is slightly off the mark as far as generating good earnings for organic pig producers is concerned.

The domestic market is good and important, and we want to help develop and expand it. But when we can obtain a higher price in the export markets, that’s what we must do because at the end of the day it’s a question of earning as much as possible for the producers, says Friland’s CEO Karsten Deibjerg Kristensen.

Favourable prices
Last year, Friland lost market share for its organic pork in the UK, which has been particularly hard hit by the financial crisis. Since then it has acquired a strong presence in the French market, where prices are particularly favourable. At the same time, the German market has stabilised, and Friland is beginning to find its feet as one of Europe’s leading suppliers of organic meat.

In Denmark, organic meat accounts for only 1 per cent of the total market, while as much as 10 per cent of organic meat in Europe comes from Danish pigs.