Agreement should open market to Hong Kong

The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association (MCPA) is pleased that the Canadian government has listened and acted on recommendations from the cattle industry about the importance of increasing markets for Canadian livestock products.

.The recent announcement made by Federal Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz, that an agreement in principle was made with officials from Hong Kong. The expansion of beef products allowed for importation into Hong Kong could potentially double Canada’s beef exports to that country - an increase of almost $26 million.

Additionally, the confidence shown by Hong Kong officials in the safety and high quality of Canadian beef is expected to open the doors to other Asian markets.

“This agreement puts the framework in place to open up markets like Japan and South Korea in the future,” MCPA president Joe Bouchard said. “The federal government has taken a giant step in the right direction to improve the economic health of Canada’s cattle producers. It goes to show that having a high profile representative such as Minister Ritz at the negotiating table proves we are serious about trade and produces results. At the same time it shows how important the cattle industry is to the Canadian Government. Continued trade missions with high profile ministers such as Ritz are essential to moving our industry forward.”

The agreement works in a phase-in approach. The first stage of the process gives Canadian beef processors access to the Hong Kong market for rib cuts and most bone-in beef products (excluding vertebral column cuts) from cattle under thirty months of age. After meeting Hong Kong’s requirements during the first four-month phase-in period, Hong Kong will allow Canadian exports of rib cuts, boneless beef and offal from all Canadian cattle.

By the end of this calendar year, if Canadian beef imports continue to meet Hong Kong’s requirements, it will open its borders to all Canadian beef exports from cattle under 30 months of age, including steaks.

“This goes a long way to maximizing the value of our product. Not only does it fill a market need in Hong Kong, it also creates a market for us to sell our bone-in beef and offal. Being an export driven industry in Canada, the more markets we have open to our product, the less reliant we are on any single market,” Bouchard said