Canadian pig bosses welcome EU trade agreement

By Nicholas Robinson

- Last updated on GMT

Canadian Pork council welcomes Canada-EU trade agreement
Canadian Pork council welcomes Canada-EU trade agreement

Related tags Canadian pork International trade Canadian pork council Livestock

Canadian pig bosses have welcomed a trade agreement between Canada and the European Union before a House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture earlier this week.

The chair of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) Jean-Guy Vincent and CPC executive director Martin Rice appeared before the committee as witnesses to a study on the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

According to the CPC, Canadian producers recognise the importance of trade between Canada and the EU and welcome the government’s efforts to increase business links with the EU through the comprehensive economic partnership agreement.

Vincent said: “The solid trade deal that has been negotiated with the EU could increase Canadian pork exports by up to CA$400m a year. This is by far the best opportunity Canada will have for many years to acquire new access to this important pork market.  

“Today there are four Canadian pork plants that have achieved eligibility to export to the European Union,” he added. “With the promise of larger quotas and with the resolution of quota administration barriers, CETA will encourage additional plants to seek certification.”

Vincent also explained that Canadian pork producers have had presence in the EU for more than 15 years, as a result of the Paris trade show SIAL and ANUGA Agri-Food in Cologne, Germany. He added that exposure to the 160,000 global visitors at ANUGA has already had an impact on Canadian pork businesses. “The deal has not even been signed and Canadian companies have already noticed an increase in the number of visitors from the EU stopping at the Canadian pork exhibition,”​ he claimed.  

However, he pointed out that, in the past, the Canadian pork industry had faced “serious”​ challenges competing in the world market, “including a strong Canadian dollar, historically high grain prices and the world economic slowdown”.

Yet, he said: “The industry has managed to overcome these challenges with a smaller but highly competitive hog sector. The world economy will continue to evolve and the government cannot afford to overlook or suspend any efforts that can improve the industry’s market access due to political rhetoric.”

Vincent also said that Canada is the world’s third largest pork exporter, representing 20% of the world pork trade, reaching more than 100 countries in 2012.

Related topics Meat

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