Ottawa, Ontario: The Canadian meat industry welcomes restored access to China for Canadian bone-in beef products. The successful conclusion of bilateral discussions on this long outstanding request was announced earlier today following discussions in Ottawa between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
“Not only is China already the world’s largest consumer of meat products, demand for beef is projected to maintain an upward trend as Chinese consumers increase the presence of high quality beef in their diets,” said Canadian Meat Council President Joe Reda. “Canada’s meat packers and processors recognize and appreciate the persistent efforts of Prime Minister Trudeau, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister MacAulay, and International Trade Minister Freeland in achieving restored access for bone-in beef products to this important and expanding market,” Reda added.
Canadian beef processors lost access to the Chinese market in 2003 following the identification of the first case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). In May, 2011, Canada became the first BSE-infected country to gain Chinese approval for the resumption of trade for boneless, frozen beef from cattle under thirty months of age.
“Restoration of access to the Chinese market for bone-in, frozen beef products represents a major milestone on the road toward our ultimate objective: access for frozen and fresh, chilled beef products from cattle of all ages,” said Canadian Meat Council Executive Director Jim Laws. “Not only does today’s announcement open the door for an estimated $10 million of new sales opportunities in the near term, it clears the path for intensified negotiations on the remaining steps toward full and normal trade in beef products with China,” added Laws.
Canada’s meat processing industry includes some 400 federally registered establishments, providing safe, high quality protein for Canadian consumers as well as adding jobs and contributing to economic activity in both rural and urban communities across Canada. With annual sales of $23.6 billion, exports of $5.7 billion, and providing 65,000 jobs, the Canadian meat industry is the largest component of this country’s food processing sector.
The Canadian Meat Council has been representing Canada’s federally inspected meat processing industry since 1919.
Source: The Canadian Meat Council
