The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food along with the Minister of International Trade Diversification met with leaders of various Canadian pork and meat organizations earlier this week to discuss the latest in trade woes with China.
“We are working closely with farmers, industry, provinces and exporters to restore market access to China as quickly as possible,” says Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “We know that Canada’s food safety system is recognized as one of the best in the world and we will continue to stand-up for Canada’s entire agricultural sector.”
The meeting comes after China put a stop to Canadian meat exports due to claims of ractopamine in certain pork exports and falsified export documents.
China halts pork and beef imports from Canada
In a news release, the government states the roundtable discussion gave stakeholders the opportunity to share information and have an exchange about current market access issues with China.
“The Government of Canada will continue to work tirelessly to restore full market access for Canadian products to China, while also advancing Canada’s Trade Diversification Strategy,” the statement went on to say. “Canada has a strong reputation as an efficient and reliable supplier of high-quality products, which has helped to build the confidence and trust of buyers from around the world.”
To put it in perspective, Canada exports about half of its domestic food and agricultural production to more than 180 countries worldwide. The total value is worth more than $65 billion.
“Canada has the finest food products in the world and re-opening market access for our meat exports to China is a top priority for our government,” says Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification. “I was glad to be here today to engage with representatives from Canadian businesses and to hear their views. We stand behind our producers and will work closely with them on this issue until it is resolved.”
Related
- Canadian trade minister blames false meat permits on smugglers
- China may inspect all Canadian meat exports: sources
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