Full beef market access into Taiwan welcomed by Canadian cattle producers

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is welcoming the announcement that Taiwan is restoring full market access for Canadian beef in the coming weeks.

Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Mary Ng, shared the news in a tweet late Thursday, while attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Detroit.

“Cattle producers are pleased to learn that Taiwan will be lifting the remaining restrictions on Canadian beef,” says Nathan Phinney, CCA president. “This sends a strong signal in the Indo-Pacific region and our industry is proud to support global food security by producing a sustainable and high-quality product destined for dinner tables around the world.”

While Canadian beef exports last year totalled $13.9 million, beef from animals over 30 months of age and some types of offal were still restricted. The restrictions date back to Canada’s discovery of a case of BSE in 2003 — 20 years ago last week.

Great news for Canadian beef farmers and exporters! Today, at the APEC, Taiwan confirmed that in a couple weeks Canadian beef exporters will have full access to the Taiwanese market. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/X5qctg9NK3

— Mary Ng (@mary_ng) May 26, 2023

“CCA is grateful for Taiwan’s decision to adhere to science-based trade with the removal of BSE-era restrictions following Canada’s attainment of BSE-negligible risk status by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) in 2021,” says the CCA news release.

Taiwan and Canada have had an on again, off again relationship when it comes to beef trade, notes Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange, in this week’s Beef Market Update.

“Going back to the closure back in 2003 with the first BSE case, then a reopening to UTM (under 30 month) in 2007, then closed again in 2015 when there was another case, and then open again in 2016 to UTM and some offal,” she says. “I understand full access, likely within a couple of weeks, we should be seeing some beef potentially moving, which is wonderful.

“The the eastern Asian markets are hugely important, whether we’re talking about Japan or South Korea or Vietnam, and now we can add Taiwan to that list. That’s huge for Canadian beef. It’s a strong market for us, and this is only good news, for sure,” adds Wasko.

Canadian beef is still facing restrictions into the Chinese market, going back to an atypical BSE case that was reported by the Canadian government in late 2021.