Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
In late September, Shuanghui International completed its purchase of Smithfield Foods. Last week, Commissioner Troxler attended a meeting with Shuanghui officials during their visit to North Carolina.
Commissioner Troxler says he is encouraged by what he has heard from Shuanghui’s management. They seem genuinely committed to maintaining the Smithfield brand and the company’s dedication to producing quality pork products, he says.
This deal creates a potential boon for North Carolina pork producers. China is a giant market for pork products, and this deal could open more export opportunities for North Carolina and U.S. producers. There is an increasing interest in American food by Chinese consumers. The country has a growing middle class that is using more protein in its diet. Commissioner Troxler says this deal could help N.C. farmers tap into that interest and sell more pork in China.
The NCDA&CS international marketing staff has worked very hard over the past four years to cultivate the Chinese market for a variety of North Carolina agricultural products, including tobacco, soybeans and pork. China is one of North Carolina’s top destinations for ag exports, and it is a growing market. The department’s international marketing staff is very excited about the possibilities in the Chinese market in the future.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about the Shuanghui-Smithfield deal.
[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_10-8-13.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Oct. 8]
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