Canadian meat processors concerned about China’s wholesale ban

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has stopped issuing export certificates to China for all pork and beef products.

The decision was made after Chinese regulatory authorities placed a temporary ban on exports of Canadian meat to China as of June 25.

The Chinese Embassy in Canada said that Chinese customs authorities had inspected ractopamine residues in a batch of pork products exported from Canada to China.

The embassy says that Chinese authorities asked Canada to carry out an investigation, which revealed that about 188 official veterinary health certificates attached to the batch of pork exported to China were counterfeit.

Related:
China asks for suspension of Canadian meat, citing forged certificates

Chinese authorities say that China has taken the urgent preventive measures for the safety of its consumers.

But Canadian meat processors were baffled by the decision to ban all Canadian meat products exported to China.

The Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Meat Council and Canada Pork said the ban will have a significant business impact on the meat sector.

The Canadian pork market is valued at almost $4 billion. China, Canada’s third-largest pork export market, raked in $514 million in 2018, and sales in 2019 have increased by 50% over 2018 levels, reports the Canadian Pork Council, a federation of nine provincial pork industry associations representing 7,000 farms.

In 2018, beef exports to China was valued at $97.3 million and was Canada’s fifth largest export market, noted the Canadian Meat Council.

The Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Meat Council and Canada Pork International said they were working closely with government officials to identify potential next steps.