Spain 's luxury Ibérico hams are becoming increasingly popular in China , who see it as a unique and healthy product . With an increasing passion for pork products , rising incomes , and concerns over their own homegrown food , the Chinese have entered the market for Ibérico pork with ease , despite paying higher prices than the US . Ibérico ham was banned in the United States until about a decade ago over concerns about swine fever and traditional curing methods, and even today just a handful of Spanish slaughterhouses have been authorized to export to the United States. Figures from the Spanish Meat Export Office reveal that fresh pork from Spain to China , including heads , ears and other parts , rose 35 % last year , making it the second largest market in Spain after France .
Spain 's luxury Ibérico hams are becoming increasingly popular in China , who see it as a unique and healthy product . With an increasing passion for pork products , rising incomes , and concerns over their own homegrown food , the Chinese have entered the market for Ibérico pork with ease , despite paying higher prices than the US . Figures from the Spanish Meat Export Office reveal that fresh pork from Spain to China , including heads , ears and other parts , rose 35 % last year , making it the second largest market in Spain after France .