Canadian Beef Moves Closer to Full Market Access in Hong Kong

Canadian Beef Moves Closer to Full Market Access in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) has announced its intention to significantly expand market access for beef imports from Canada. This announcement marks the second phase of an agreement between the governments of Hong Kong and Canada to progress gradually toward full market access for Canadian beef.

According to CFS, this phase opens the market to imports of boneless beef, beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (except vertebral column cuts) from cattle 30 months of age and older, as well as tails and offals. Such products must have prior written permission from CFS and must be accompanied by a health certificate.

Under the first phase of the Hong Kong-Canada agreement — implemented in March 2009 — beef rib cuts and other non-vertebral bone-in products had been allowed, but only from cattle less than 30 months of age. Hong Kong will later implement a final phase of the agreement under which it accepts Canadian T-bone cuts from cattle less than 30 months of age, making Canada-Hong Kong beef trade fully consistent with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines. Meanwhile, Hong Kong still limits U.S. beef imports to boneless cuts from cattle less than 30 months of age.

“It is encouraging to see Hong Kong establishing science-based trade guidelines, and this is exactly the type of action we are asking of our trading partners,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “Unfortunately, the United States is watching from the sidelines as a major competitor is making progress toward full market access. This is a perfect illustration of how these product restrictions – particularly the ban on bone-in cuts – are putting the U.S. at a serious disadvantage in an increasingly competitive market.”   

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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.

Canadian Beef Moves Closer to Full Market Access in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) has announced its intention to significantly expand market access for beef imports from Canada. This announcement marks the second phase of an agreement between the governments of Hong Kong and Canada to progress gradually toward full market access for Canadian beef.

According to CFS, this phase opens the market to imports of boneless beef, beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (except vertebral column cuts) from cattle 30 months of age and older, as well as tails and offals. Such products must have prior written permission from CFS and must be accompanied by a health certificate.

Under the first phase of the Hong Kong-Canada agreement — implemented in March 2009 — beef rib cuts and other non-vertebral bone-in products had been allowed, but only from cattle less than 30 months of age. Hong Kong will later implement a final phase of the agreement under which it accepts Canadian T-bone cuts from cattle less than 30 months of age, making Canada-Hong Kong beef trade fully consistent with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines. Meanwhile, Hong Kong still limits U.S. beef imports to boneless cuts from cattle less than 30 months of age.

“It is encouraging to see Hong Kong establishing science-based trade guidelines, and this is exactly the type of action we are asking of our trading partners,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “Unfortunately, the United States is watching from the sidelines as a major competitor is making progress toward full market access. This is a perfect illustration of how these product restrictions – particularly the ban on bone-in cuts – are putting the U.S. at a serious disadvantage in an increasingly competitive market.”   

# # #

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.