Canada, Hong Kong Finalize Agreement on Bone-in Beef Access

Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) announced this week that it has begun processing applications for import of bone-in beef products from Canadian cattle less than 30 months of age. The announcement sets into motion an agreement the two countries reached in principle in January, which adopted a phased approach to expand market access for a wider range of Canadian beef products.   

In the initial phase, Hong Kong will allow beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (not to include cuts from the vertebral column) from Canadian cattle of less than 30 months of age provided that each shipment of bone-in beef receives prior written permission from CFS and is accompanied by a health certificate. This is intended to be the first step in an incremental agreement that will eventually allow import of Canadian beef from cattle over 30 months of age as well as beef offal.

Hong Kong reopened to under-30-month boneless beef from Canada in November 2004, but more than a year passed before similar access was granted for U.S. beef. Since that time, U.S. beef has been gaining market share in Hong Kong while Canada’s share of the market has been in decline. But Canada’s ability to export an expanded range of beef cuts could interrupt that trend, especially with bone-in short ribs being such a popular item in this market.

“Hong Kong and the entire Greater China region is an important destination for U.S. beef, but the limited range of products we are able to ship there is really a significant obstacle,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “We already face stiff competition from countries that have full access to Hong Kong, and now Canadian beef will be growing its presence in this market as well. While the quality of U.S. beef has made it a popular choice in this region, we certainly have some catching up to do in terms of market access.”  

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.

Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) announced this week that it has begun processing applications for import of bone-in beef products from Canadian cattle less than 30 months of age. The announcement sets into motion an agreement the two countries reached in principle in January, which adopted a phased approach to expand market access for a wider range of Canadian beef products.   

In the initial phase, Hong Kong will allow beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (not to include cuts from the vertebral column) from Canadian cattle of less than 30 months of age provided that each shipment of bone-in beef receives prior written permission from CFS and is accompanied by a health certificate. This is intended to be the first step in an incremental agreement that will eventually allow import of Canadian beef from cattle over 30 months of age as well as beef offal.

Hong Kong reopened to under-30-month boneless beef from Canada in November 2004, but more than a year passed before similar access was granted for U.S. beef. Since that time, U.S. beef has been gaining market share in Hong Kong while Canada’s share of the market has been in decline. But Canada’s ability to export an expanded range of beef cuts could interrupt that trend, especially with bone-in short ribs being such a popular item in this market.

“Hong Kong and the entire Greater China region is an important destination for U.S. beef, but the limited range of products we are able to ship there is really a significant obstacle,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “We already face stiff competition from countries that have full access to Hong Kong, and now Canadian beef will be growing its presence in this market as well. While the quality of U.S. beef has made it a popular choice in this region, we certainly have some catching up to do in terms of market access.”  

# # #

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.