CLGA Applauds Minister Ritz' Major Market Access Achievements in China
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz held key bilateral meetings with the Chinese Government recently that have yielded major achievements for access for live cattle from Canada, which until this important step is concluded, cannot be exported to this important market.Following meetings with China's Minister of Agriculture and Vice Minister of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), China formally agreed to work with Canadian officials on a number of initiatives including allowing access for live cattle, an issue CLGA has been working closely with the Canadian Government officials over recent years.
CLGA Executive Director Michael Hall, who participated in this important Ministerial Mission adds, "When fully implemented, the market for live cattle can reach $150 million. In 2013, Canadian dairy genetics exported worldwide totalled $122 million, of which China imported $6.3 million dollars' worth (5.2%). This is significant news for our industry and we applaud the Government's success in reaching a formal agreement to start working on market access for live cattle."
Hall continues, "As we have in the past, CLGA will continue to work closely with Government officials to make sure all goes smoothly in the next steps so our members, on behalf of Canadian producers, can export live cattle as soon as possible to this very significant market."
Additional Canadian sectors that will benefit from these recent trade negotiations during Minister Ritz' trade mission include important market access gains for Canadian beef, swine, B.C. cherries, blueberries and timothy hay, and boosting our producer and processors' ability to compete in the Chinese market.
Since 2006, agriculture and seafood exports to China have increased more than five-fold to total $5.6 billion annually. Top Canadian agriculture exports to the Chinese market include canola, canola oil, soybeans, dried peas, wheat and pork.
6.19.2014