Hong Kong Further Expands Access for Canadian Beef
Hong Kong Further Expands Access for Canadian Beef
By further expanding access for Canadian beef, Hong Kong has implemented one of the few beef import protocols in Asia that is consistent with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards. Under the final phase of this three-phase access agreement, Canada will be allowed to export vertebral column cuts from cattle 30 months of age or younger. Canada is now able to export all beef and beef products to Hong Kong except for those containing specified risk material (SRM) as defined by the OIE for a BSE controlled-risk country.
In a press release, Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) states: "Canada is now recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health as having a Controlled Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Risk status. In view of Canada's stringent BSE control measures, the CFS has been adopting a phased approach to resume importation of bone-in-beef early this year."
Expanded access for Canadian beef products commenced in March 2009 when Hong Kong opened to bone-in cuts - except for vertebral column cuts - from animals less 30 months of age. Wider access was granted in June under the second phase of the agreement when boneless and bone-in beef products from cattle of all ages of animals were permitted, including beef variety meat.
According to the CFS statement, Hong Kong has imported 930 metric tons (2.05 million pounds) of bone-in Canadian beef since expanded access was granted in March. USMEF believes most of this volume has consisted of bone-in short ribs. Therefore, the addition of bone-in Canadian vertebral column cuts is expected to have a limited commercial impact on Canada’s export volume.
"Canada has a relatively small market share in Hong Kong, and its T-bones and porterhouses will be competing with similar Australian grain-fed cuts in a limited number of Hong Kong steakhouses,” according to Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific Region. “More significant, however, is Hong Kong's decision to follow OIE guidelines in establishing these beef import conditions for Canada, based on its controlled-risk status."
Pre-BSE, U.S. beef accounted for roughly one-third of Hong Kong’s beef imports, followed by Brazil at about 25 percent, while Canada sourced only 1 percent. Thus far in 2009, Brazil leads with 50.6 percent, followed by the U.S. at 15 percent. Argentina, China and Canada each currently supply slightly more than 6 percent of Hong Kong’s beef imports.
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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.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
Hong Kong Further Expands Access for Canadian Beef
By further expanding access for Canadian beef, Hong Kong has implemented one of the few beef import protocols in Asia that is consistent with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards. Under the final phase of this three-phase access agreement, Canada will be allowed to export vertebral column cuts from cattle 30 months of age or younger. Canada is now able to export all beef and beef products to Hong Kong except for those containing specified risk material (SRM) as defined by the OIE for a BSE controlled-risk country.
In a press release, Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) states: "Canada is now recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health as having a Controlled Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Risk status. In view of Canada's stringent BSE control measures, the CFS has been adopting a phased approach to resume importation of bone-in-beef early this year."
Expanded access for Canadian beef products commenced in March 2009 when Hong Kong opened to bone-in cuts - except for vertebral column cuts - from animals less 30 months of age. Wider access was granted in June under the second phase of the agreement when boneless and bone-in beef products from cattle of all ages of animals were permitted, including beef variety meat.
According to the CFS statement, Hong Kong has imported 930 metric tons (2.05 million pounds) of bone-in Canadian beef since expanded access was granted in March. USMEF believes most of this volume has consisted of bone-in short ribs. Therefore, the addition of bone-in Canadian vertebral column cuts is expected to have a limited commercial impact on Canada’s export volume.
"Canada has a relatively small market share in Hong Kong, and its T-bones and porterhouses will be competing with similar Australian grain-fed cuts in a limited number of Hong Kong steakhouses,” according to Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific Region. “More significant, however, is Hong Kong's decision to follow OIE guidelines in establishing these beef import conditions for Canada, based on its controlled-risk status."
Pre-BSE, U.S. beef accounted for roughly one-third of Hong Kong’s beef imports, followed by Brazil at about 25 percent, while Canada sourced only 1 percent. Thus far in 2009, Brazil leads with 50.6 percent, followed by the U.S. at 15 percent. Argentina, China and Canada each currently supply slightly more than 6 percent of Hong Kong’s beef imports.
# # #
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.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.