The first shipment of pork from Portugal to China has arrived at the northern Chinese port of Tianjin and cleared customs, China National Radio reports.

The state-run radio network quotes the authorities in Tianjin Port Area as saying US$800,000 worth of pork arrived in 13 containers, destined mainly for markets in northern China, including capital Beijing, the city of Tianjin, and the province of Henan.

Portuguese pork is set to arrive in China at the rate of 200 containers a month at the outset, and at perhaps twice that rate next year, China National Radio quotes a Chinese importer as saying.

Back in January the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, quoted Portuguese Federation of Poultry Associations Director Nuno Correia as saying the annual value of exports of Portuguese pork to China may be €100 million (about US$114.39 million) to begin with, and eventually reach twice that amount.