Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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New market for British pig meat moves closer
Defra today announced that a protocol on the conditions for the export of UK pig meat to China has been signed by the Minister for Trade and Investment, Lord Digby Jones of Birmingham, and Li Changjiang, Minister at the General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) in Beijing.
This is a major step towards the UK beginning exports of pig meat to China, after the Chinese authorities lifted foot-and-mouth related import restrictions on 7 August this year.
The signing of the protocol is the culmination of many years of hard work and cooperation between the Chinese authorities, Defra, the British Pig Executive (BPEX), the Chinese Embassy in London, and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in Beijing and London.
The Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer at Defra, Alick Simmons, said:
"The signing of this important protocol is a welcome boost to UK exporters. I hope that the UK's positive relationship with the Chinese veterinary authorities will soon lead to the UK selling pig meat to the Chinese market.
"Strict control measures in the UK meat sector have given our Chinese colleagues the confidence to work closely with the industry in this country. We look forward to continued cooperation with a view to implementing the protocol at the earliest possible opportunity."
Defra, UKTI staff and BPEX will now work with the Chinese authorities to progress the remaining Chinese requirements as quickly as possible - specifically to conduct inspection visits to the UK, approve UK processing plants and to subsequently agree export health certification.
This also represents an important step towards reaching the bilateral trade target of $60 billion agreed by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and Premier Wen Jiabao in January 2008.
Lord Digby Jones said:
"The signing today of the protocol opens up a market worth, immediately, £17 million per year. It is another one of those hidden UK export stories that helps develop Brand Britain in the biggest country on earth."
Notes to editors
1. The main UK pig industry export interest
is pig meat offal and other parts of the pig which are highly
valued as delicacies in China, but for which UK companies
currently have little or no market value. These products, when
exported directly to mainland China, could be worth £2.50 per pig
which gives a potential exports value of around £17 million a year.
2. The UK has never before had agreement with the Chinese authorities to allow the export to China of UK pig meat. The signing of this protocol follows many years of negotiation.
3. Progress was delayed by the foot and mouth disease incident in Surrey in August/September 2007 and the subsequent import restrictions which were imposed jointly by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) on the import into China of UK livestock and livestock products susceptible to foot and mouth disease.
4. The Chinese FMD related ban on the import of UK livestock and livestock products was lifted on 7 August 2008. The lifting of these restrictions left no further hurdles to stop the protocol being formally agreed and signed.
5. The import of UK pig meat into China is subject to a Chinese risk assessment process. It is clear that further inspection visits to the UK from Chinese technical officials will be needed - including to formally begin their approval process of specific UK meat plants. As well as inspection, each plant will be required to complete questionnaires providing the necessary assurances/information as required by the Chinese authorities.
6. Finally Defra will need to also formally agree export health certification which would be legally required to accompany any export of UK pig meat to China. This will follow the guidelines on conditions as outlined in the protocol signed in Beijing today.
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