MacAulay’s Trade Mission to China Means Increased Meat Exports

Canada is a trading nation that is focused on growing trade and investment relationships, including diversifying into new and rapidly growing markets in Asia

With a population of 1.4 billion and a growing middle class, pursuing new market opportunities in China is vital to the continued growth of the Canadian economy, and to reaching the Government of Canada’s target of increasing global agricultural exports to $75 billion by 2025.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Lawrence MacAulay promoted Canadian agricultural products on his recent trade mission to China, discussing ways of strengthening agricultural trade between the two countries.

“Meat industry estimates the increased export values could be worth $100 million for pork and $125 million for beef ”

 

MacAulay also met with his counterpart, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Han Changfu. They discussed key trade issues, including agricultural cooperation and biotechnology products.

As part of a pilot project agreed to by both countries in 2017, the first Canadian shipment of chilled pork was exported to China this month. Seventeen Canadian federally registered meat establishments are now eligible to export chilled beef derived from cattle under-thirty-months of age and/or chilled pork to China.

“China is an important and growing market, representing Canada’s second largest trade partner is agriculture and food,” MacAulay stated. “This mission has been a great opportunity to showcase Canada’s high-quality food and seafood, and to strengthen our trade ties, which are of vital importance to diversifying markets for our agricultural products and to growing the middle class.”

The Canadian meat industry estimates the increased export values from this expansion of Canada’s meat access to China, could be worth upwards of $100 million for pork and $125 million for beef over the next five years.