Ham shortage in Spain caused by Chinese demand

SPAIN are in danger of running short of one of their most beloved delicacies- Iberian ham.

According to Spanish media sources, Chinese consumers have developed a love for the top-of-the-range ham, but their demand for the product is now threatening to exhaust supply.

As the best quality ham takes a long time to produce, the increase in exports of China have put pressure on producers and raised prices by nearly 10 per cent.

The priciest ham on the market, jamon iberico de bellota – made from pigs that graze on acorn-rich pastures for months on end – is reportedly the most in-demand in China but is also cured for the longest amount of time.

To try to speed up the process, the Chinese have allegedly started to import frozen ham legs and cure it themselves but the result is often much saltier. 

The country have become such afficionados of the gourmet product that they have even opened specialised academies to train their own ham slicers. 

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