(Yicai Global) Jan. 31 -- Portugal sent EUR1 million (USD1.15 million) worth of pork to China today, the first time it has shipped pig meat to the world's largest market for the protein.

The European nation shipped the 270 tons of pork from the Port of Sines, about 150 kilometers south of capital Lisbon, and expects it to arrive in China's Hunan province in a month's time, state-owned news agency Xinhua reported today, citing Portuguese Agriculture Minister Luis Capoulas Santos.

"It is an extremely important step for the sector given that we're talking about exports estimated at EUR100 million per year to begin with," Santos said during an event celebrating the shipment held at the Maporal abattoir in Reguengos de Monsaraz, about 25 kilometers from the Spanish border.

"Today is a very important day for Portugal and the omens are good," he added, giving a nod to the Chinese New Year, which citizens across the country will celebrate with a week's vacation starting on Feb. 4 to bring in the new lunar year -- the Year of the Pig.

The two countries struck a deal in October, David Neves, vice president of the Portuguese Federation of Pig Industry Associations, told local news agency Agencia Lusa late last year. Under the first phase of their agreement, Portugal will ship 15 percent of its pork production to China -- bringing in around EUR100 million over the course of a year. It plans to then double the export volume.

Editor: James Boynton