Frozen pork offal from the EU for Africa: feet, neck bones, ears and tails, a buyer's guide

West and Central African importers buy frozen pork offal from EU-approved plants in full 40ft reefer containers of about 26 tonnes net. The main cuts are front and hind feet, neck bones, heads, ears, tails, masks and riblets. A good lot comes down to four things: the cut and grade written into the contract, clean dehairing, an EU approval number on every carton, and a veterinary certificate that the destination country accepts. This guide covers each cut, the EU supply, what African swine fever (ASF) changes, which African markets import pork and which do not, and how to check a supplier before you pay.

Product sheets: front feet, neck bones and the full pork range. This guide goes further than our overview of frozen pork cuts for West Africa.

Key figures at a glance

1. The cuts African buyers order, and how to specify them

The same name can hide very different products. Write the specification below into every enquiry so that offers can be compared like for like.

Front and hind feet: short cut and long cut

Front and hind feet are sold as separate items. Hind feet are longer and carry more bone.

• Front feet, long cut: cut at the joint between the forearm and the wrist, with the carpal bones left on the foot.
• Front feet, short cut: also offered; its exact cutting line is confirmed in each offer.
• Grade A: dehaired, nails removed. Grade B: partially dehaired.

Both products are frozen in 10 kg fixed-weight cartons with a PE liner:

• front feet: about 300 to 350 g each, 13 to 17 cm depending on the cut;
• hind feet: about 350 to 480 g each, 16 to 22 cm.

Neck bones: meaty, semi-meaty and shaved

Neck bones (os d'échine in French-speaking markets) are the bones left after the neck meat has been removed. Côte d'Ivoire is our largest market for them. They come in three grades, and the grade is printed on the carton label and stated in the offer:

• Meaty: the most meat left on the bone. The highest value per kilo.
• Semi-meaty: a moderate amount of meat.
• Shaved: trimmed close to the bone. The lowest value, mainly used for stock.

Packing is a 10 kg or 15 kg carton with an inner plastic bag. Plants do not all trim the same way, and no common meat percentage exists for each grade. Before the first order, ask for photos of an open carton from the actual batch, not a catalogue picture.

Heads, half heads and masks

• Whole heads: with ears and cheeks, without tongue, in 20 kg cartons (fixed or variable weight), 4 to 5 heads per carton.
• Half heads: cheeks and ears optional, 1.7 to 2.2 kg per piece, in cartons of about 10 kg holding 4 to 5 pieces depending on the weight.
• Masks: the skin and meat of the face, removed from the skull. Ask whether ears and snout are included, because plants differ.

Check that heads are split cleanly, with no bone splinters.

Ears and tails

Ears and tails often complete a mixed container. Points to specify:

• Ears: whole ear, with or without the ear canal cut, and the level of dehairing and cleaning.
• Tails: tails, tail bones and tails with bones are three different items. State which one you want.

Sizes for ears and tails depend on the plant. Each offer states the plant, the packing and the carton weight.

Riblets and sternums

• Meaty riblets and shaved riblets: rib pieces with more or less meat, used in the same way as neck bones.
• Sternums (breastbones): long cut or cut in half, in 10 kg cartons.

Specification summary

All items are shipped at -18 °C. Shelf life is 18 to 24 months at -18 °C, depending on the plant.

How many cartons fit in a 40ft reefer

A 40ft reefer carries about 26 tonnes net of pork offal (25 to 27.5 t depending on the product and packing). The carton count follows from the carton weight:

Palletised loading carries a little less net weight than floor loading; agree the method when you confirm. A mixed container (for example feet plus neck bones) is possible. The minimum order is one full container.

2. What separates a good lot from a bad one

Two containers of "Grade A front feet" can sell at very different prices in Abidjan or Douala. The difference shows when the cartons are opened.

Dehairing and nails

Feet, ears, masks and heads must be scalded and dehaired. Look for hair left between the toes, around the nails and inside the ears. For ATC front and hind feet, Grade A is dehaired with nails removed; Grade B is partially dehaired. Leftover hair and black skin spots are the most common complaints on feet.

Bruises, blood and broken bones

Bruises, blood spots and broken bones reduce the value at retail. Grade A means no or very few defects. Ask the supplier how many defective pieces are tolerated per carton.

Block frozen or IQF

• Block frozen: the pieces are frozen together in a liner bag. Dense and cheaper, but the block must be broken before selling piece by piece.
• IQF (individually quick frozen): each piece is frozen separately. Easier to sell in small lots, often more expensive.

ATC front and hind feet are frozen in 10 kg fixed-weight cartons with a PE liner.

Bag, ice and carton

• The inner plastic bag protects against freezer burn and dirt.
• Heavy frost or ice inside the bag can mean thawing and refreezing, or wet packing. You pay for ice at the price of meat.
• A crushed bottom row is a sign of a weak carton or poor loading.

Labelling and the EU approval number

Every carton must carry a label with the product, grade, net weight, production date, expiry date and plant approval number. Under EU rules (Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Annex II, Section I), meat and offal from an EU establishment carry an oval identification mark. It shows the country (for example PL, DE, ES or DK), the approval number of the plant and the abbreviation EC (or its equivalent in the national language). On cut meat and offal, this mark is printed on the packaging or on a label fixed to it.

Check three things:

1. The approval number on the carton is the same as on the veterinary certificate.
2. The plant is on the official list of EU-approved establishments for meat of domestic ungulates (Section I), with the activity code for slaughterhouse (SH) or cutting plant (CP). Member States keep these lists in the Commission's TRACES system and publish them.
3. The production dates are recent enough for your country's rules (see the Ghana example below).

Inspection and temperature records

For a first shipment, ask for a pre-shipment inspection by SGS or Bureau Veritas: quality, quantity, carton weights and core temperature. We arrange it on request. Also ask for a temperature recorder in the container. Ghana's Food and Drugs Authority requires one for containerised frozen meat.

3. EU supply: who produces, who exports

Production

The EU produced about 21.8 million tonnes of pigmeat in 2025, up 4% on 2024, according to the Commission's pigmeat dashboard. Spain is the largest producer (about 5.25 million tonnes, 24% of the total), followed by Germany (4.34 Mt), France (2.10 Mt), Poland (2.00 Mt), Denmark (1.43 Mt), the Netherlands (1.41 Mt) and Italy (1.30 Mt). At the end of 2024, the EU had about 132 million pigs, 26.2% of them in Spain and 8.8% in Denmark (Eurostat).

For context, the EU average pig carcass price was EUR 169.34 per 100 kg in week 37 of 2026, 15.9% lower than a year earlier (DG AGRI).

Offal exports

Every pig gives four feet, two ears, one tail and one head, and most of these by-products are sold outside Europe. In 2023, the EU exported about 1.07 million tonnes of frozen pig offal (HS 0206 49, frozen edible offal of swine other than livers), worth about USD 1.96 billion (WITS / UN Comtrade). By member state, the largest exporters of this code were Spain (414,000 t), the Netherlands (250,000 t), Germany (141,000 t), Denmark (102,000 t), France (102,000 t) and Poland (81,000 t). These member-state figures include sales inside the EU.

Total EU exports of pig products outside the EU reached 4.36 million tonnes carcass weight in 2025, up 2% on 2024. China, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan take most of the volume. Côte d'Ivoire took 109,283 t in 2025, or 2.5% of the total. The Republic of Congo (74,091 t) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (44,788 t) also appear in the Commission's table (DG AGRI, 17/09/2026).

Where Africa's offal comes from

Côte d'Ivoire is the clearest example. In 2023 it received 68,887 t of frozen pig offal from the EU under HS 0206 49. The largest suppliers were:

Source: WITS / UN Comtrade, exports reported by partner countries, HS 0206 49.

Two points stand out. Poland and Germany lead, although both have had ASF in parts of their territory for years. And Spain, the largest EU producer and offal exporter, shipped only 1,004 t to Côte d'Ivoire under this code.

4. African swine fever: what EU regionalisation changes for exports to Africa

How the EU manages ASF

ASF is a viral disease of pigs and wild boar, harmless to humans, that closes export markets. The Commission lists Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Czechia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Greece, Germany, Italy, Croatia and Sweden as affected at some point (DG SANTE, September 2024). Spain reported its first cases since 1994 in wild boar near Barcelona at the end of November 2025.

The EU does not close a whole country when ASF appears. It applies regionalisation under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594:

• Restricted zone I: a buffer zone with no ASF, bordering zone II or III.
• Restricted zone II: ASF found in wild boar.
• Restricted zone III: ASF found in domestic pigs.

Movements of pigs and pork from these zones are restricted. The rest of the country keeps trading.

Each importing country decides

Regionalisation is an EU rule. Outside the EU, each importing country decides whether it accepts it. After the Spanish cases in November 2025, almost 40 countries closed their borders to Spanish pork, including South Africa, the only African country named in the report. China and South Korea limited their ban to the affected province. Spain's agriculture minister said a third of its 400 export certificates to 104 countries were blocked. In February 2026, new cases were found in wild boar outside the first zone, in an area without pig farms.

Germany shows the long-term effect. Its exports of pork outside the EU fell from over 1 million tonnes a year before 2020 to 334,895 t in 2025, because of ASF-related export restrictions.

What it means for an African importer

The trade data above shows that the main West and Central African markets keep buying offal from member states with ASF zones, such as Poland and Germany. But conditions differ by country and can change quickly:

1. Ask for the certificate model before you sign. The veterinary health certificate is issued by the competent authority of the origin country and must match what your country requires. Some destinations accept a general export certificate (Ireland's Department of Agriculture states this for Côte d'Ivoire). Others have a bilateral model with specific ASF wording.
2. Check the plant's location. If the slaughterhouse or the pigs come from a restricted zone, the certificate may not be signed for your destination.
3. Plan for sudden changes. A new outbreak can stop certificates for a region within days. In the contract, agree what happens if a certificate cannot be issued after confirmation.
4. Keep your own import authorisation up to date, so that a change of origin (for example from Germany to Poland) does not delay clearance.

5. African markets: where pork is imported, where it is not

Markets that import pork offal

Sources: WITS / UN Comtrade (2023); DG AGRI pig market situation (2025).

Customs data depends on how each shipment is declared. Some pork by-products, such as neck bones and riblets, which carry meat, may be classified under other headings (0203). Check the HS code with your clearing agent before the first shipment.

Markets that do not import pork

• Nigeria: the Nigeria Customs Service import prohibition list includes "Pork, Beef" under HS 0201 to 0204, 0206 (offal) and 0210.1000-0210.2000. Pork and pork offal cannot be imported legally. ATC ships only fish to Nigeria.
• Muslim-majority countries: in the Sahel and elsewhere, we do not offer pork. Our pork offers cover the coastal markets listed above.

Documents and authorities

Each ATC shipment comes with the official veterinary health certificate of the origin country, a certificate of origin, invoice, packing list and bill of lading. The importer obtains the import authorisation; we confirm the requirements with them before each loading.

• Côte d'Ivoire: the veterinary services of the Ministry of Animal and Fisheries Resources (MIRAH) issue the sanitary import authorisation and inspect at the border. See our Côte d'Ivoire page.
• Ghana: the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) licenses importers and requires an electronic import permit (eMDA) before importation. Products must be registered. Every consignment is physically inspected at the port. Frozen meat must be kept at -18 °C (±3 °C) during the voyage, containers must carry a single-point temperature recorder, and at least 60% of the shelf life must remain at inspection. The Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture sets the veterinary requirements for products of animal origin. In May 2026, the FDA announced mandatory site verification of importers of frozen chicken, meat and fish. See our Ghana page.
• Cameroon: MINEPIA issues the import authorisation for animal products. We have every container inspected by SGS before loading.
• Congo, Gabon, Angola: the importer obtains the veterinary import authorisation from the national veterinary services. Ask for the certificate model and the labelling language (French or Portuguese) before the contract.

The Ghana shelf-life rule limits what you can buy. With 18 months of shelf life, the product must be no more than about 7 months old at inspection in Tema (40% of 18 months); with 24 months, about 9.5 months. Ask for the production dates before you confirm.

6. How to check a supplier before you pay

Brazil's poultry and pork association ABPA reported more than 500 cases to the Federal Police in 2016. In 2021 it estimated about 1,000 cases over five years and launched a campaign against fake sales. The methods it describes are the ones we still see: cloned exporter websites, fake inspection numbers, cloned e-mail addresses with one letter changed, and fake offices with bank accounts.

In our own searches in 2026, we found websites using the names of a large German pork processor and a large Brazilian group, with no verifiable link to these groups. The pattern is typical: a domain name built on keywords, contact mainly by WhatsApp, payment by bank transfer in advance, and no company or plant registration number that can be checked.

Checklist

1. Find the company in the official register. A Polish company is listed in the KRS register (ATC Group sp. z o.o.: KRS 0001021069). Check the EU VAT number in the Commission's VIES system. The name, address and directors must match the contract.
2. Type the website address yourself. If a large producer's name appears in an offer, go to the group's official website by typing the address you know, and contact the company there. Do not use the link or phone number in the offer.
3. Check the plant approval number in the official list of EU-approved establishments, and check that it matches the carton labels and the certificate.
4. Check the bank account. The account holder must be the company named on the contract, in the country where it is registered. Be careful if the account changes by e-mail during the deal: call back on a number you found yourself.
5. Ask for an inspection by SGS or Bureau Veritas before loading, ordered or confirmed by you.
6. Use a payment method you understand. At ATC, payment is by irrevocable letter of credit at sight or by bank transfer (TT), according to the terms agreed in each contract.
7. Be careful with prices far below the market. An offer far below other European suppliers for the same product and grade is a warning sign.

7. How an order with ATC Group works

1. You send the cut, grade, carton format, quantity (number of 40ft containers), discharge port and Incoterm. We reply within 24 business hours.
2. We send a firm offer naming the plant, the packing and the loading window.
3. The contract or proforma invoice sets the price, the Incoterm (CIF, CFR or FOB, explained in our Incoterms guide) and the payment terms.
4. Loading takes place 10 to 21 days after confirmation, at -18 °C. SGS or Bureau Veritas inspection on request.
5. Transit from Poland to Abidjan takes 23 to 26 days with the fastest direct service (MSC), and 35 to 47 days with transhipment, depending on the carrier. Free time at destination matters as much as freight: see reefer transit and free time to Abidjan.
6. We send the documents before the vessel arrives.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between pork feet and pork trotters? None. "Trotters" and "pig feet" are trade names for the same product. Front and hind feet are sold as separate items, with different sizes.

What is the difference between the long and short cut? The long front-foot cut is at the joint between the forearm and the wrist, with the carpal bones left on the foot. Short cut is also offered; its exact cutting line is confirmed in each offer.

What is the difference between meaty, semi-meaty and shaved neck bones? The amount of meat left on the bone. Meaty has the most, shaved the least. The grade is printed on the carton and stated in the offer.

How many tonnes of pork feet fit in a 40ft reefer? About 26 tonnes net, between 25 and 27.5 t depending on the product and packing. With 10 kg cartons, that is about 2,600 cartons.

Can I mix feet, neck bones and ears in one container? Yes. A mixed load is possible. The minimum order is one full 40ft reefer container.

Can EU pork go to Africa when there is African swine fever in Europe? Yes, in most cases. The EU applies regionalisation: only restricted zones are affected. Each importing country decides whether it accepts this. The main West and Central African markets keep importing from Poland and Germany. Ask for the certificate model for your country before signing.

Can I import pork into Nigeria? No. Pork and pork offal are on the Nigeria Customs import prohibition list. ATC supplies only frozen fish to Nigeria.

How do I know the supplier and the plant are real? Check the company in its official register (KRS for Poland) and its VAT number in VIES. Check the plant approval number in the EU list and on the cartons, make sure the bank account is in the contracting company's name, and order a pre-shipment inspection.

Request a quote

Send us the cut, grade, carton format, number of containers and discharge port. We reply within 24 business hours.

• Online form: request a quote
• WhatsApp: +48 501 351 121

ATC Group sp. z o.o., Aleje Jerozolimskie 109 lok. 70, 02-011 Warszawa, Poland. KRS 0001021069.

Sources

• DG AGRI, European Commission, "Pigmeat dashboard", last update 15/10/2026: https://agridata.ec.europa.eu/Reports/Pigmeat_Dashboard.pdf
• DG AGRI, European Commission, "Pig market situation", 17/09/2026: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/document/download/8664c88b-e509-47a7-8c5b-68820eee1f5d_en?filename=pig-market-situation_en.pdf
• European Commission, pigmeat statistics page: https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/data-and-analysis/markets/overviews/market-observatories/meat/pigmeat-statistics_en
• Eurostat, "Agricultural production - livestock and meat", Statistics Explained (data extracted October 2025): https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/SEPDF/cache/27963.pdf
• World Bank WITS / UN Comtrade, HS 020649 exports by country, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/WLD/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Côte d'Ivoire, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/CIV/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Ghana, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/GHA/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Republic of Congo, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/COG/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Angola, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/AGO/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Gabon, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/GAB/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Cameroon, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/CMR/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Benin, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/BEN/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to Togo, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/TGO/product/020649
• WITS, HS 020649 to DR Congo, 2023: https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/All/year/2023/tradeflow/Exports/partner/COD/product/020649
• Pig Progress, "Slight increase in EU pork exports in 2025": https://live.pigprogress.net/market-trends-analysis-the-industrymarkets/slight-increase-in-eu-pork-exports-in-2025/
• DG SANTE, European Commission, "ASF: EU update", 23rd WOAH Standing Group of Experts on ASF, 18-19 September 2024: https://rr-europe.woah.org/app/uploads/2024/10/SGE_ASF23_EU-.pdf
• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/594 on special control measures for African swine fever (EUR-Lex): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/594/oj/eng
• Pig Progress, "ASF Spain: more infected wild boar likely; countries close borders", 01/12/2025: https://live.pigprogress.net/health-nutrition/health/asf-spain-more-infected-wild-boar-likely-countries-close-borders/
• Reuters via Bermuda Broadcasting, Spain ASF and China regionalisation, 02/12/2025: https://bbc.bm/?p=31162
• The Pig Site, "ASF spreads beyond initial Barcelona zone", 13/02/2026: https://www.thepigsite.com/news/2026/02/asf-spreads-beyond-initial-barcelona-zone
• Nigeria Customs Service, Import Prohibition List: https://cms.customs.gov.ng/?p=312
• U.S. International Trade Administration, Nigeria Country Commercial Guide, prohibited and restricted imports: https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/nigeria-prohibited-and-restricted-imports
• Food and Drugs Authority Ghana, FDA/ICD/GDL-04/05, guideline for import of frozen meat, fish and shellfish, effective 02/07/2025: https://fdaghana.gov.gh/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GUIDELINE-FOR-IMPORT_FROZEN-MEAT_SHELLFISH_AQUATIC-INVERTEBRATES.pdf
• USDA FAS, FAIRS Export Certificate Report, Ghana, GH2023-0011, 31/07/2023: https://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/ImportRegulations/FAIRS%20Export%20Certificate%20Report%20AnnualAccraGhanaGH20230011.pdf
• Citi Newsroom, "FDA tightens checks on frozen food imports", 21/05/2026: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/05/fda-tightens-checks-on-frozen-food-imports-over-safety-concerns/
• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Ireland), market access, Ivory Coast: http://www.marketaccess.agriculture.gov.ie/meat/africa/ivorycoast/
• Food Safety Authority of Ireland, identification marking and labelling of meat: https://www.fsai.ie/Enforcement-and-Legislation/Legislation/Food-Legislation/Meat-Fresh-Meat/Identification-Marking-and-labelling
• DG SANTE, technical specifications for the lists of EU approved food establishments, SANCO/2179/2005 rev. 2025: https://mattilsynet-xp7prod.enonic.cloud/_/attachment/inline/5732dac9-b8da-4e7b-a9ce-01a1a6c79f41:4f7365fac3c2ca2f3bd6f5afe4cf21d472a6b6b8/Tekniske%20spesifikasjoner.pdf
• Agrolink, "ABPA lança campanha contra vendas falsas no mercado internacional", 29/03/2021: https://www.agrolink.com.br/noticias/abpa-lanca-campanha-contra-vendas-falsas-no-mercado-internacional_448056.html
• Canal Rural, "Polícia Federal abre inquérito sobre fraudes no comércio internacional de carnes", 20/01/2016: https://www.canalrural.com.br/pecuaria/policia-federal-abre-inquerito-sobre-fraudes-comercio-internacional-carnes-60509/
• ATC Group product pages (specifications): https://atcgroup.pl/products/pork/pork-front-feet, https://atcgroup.pl/products/pork/pork-neck-bones, https://atcgroup.pl/markets/cote-divoire-pork