Canada’s pork industry is warning it could be shut out of its fourth largest export market if free trade talks with South Korea are not quickly completed and a deal implemented.
Jacques Pomerleau, executive director of Canada Pork International, told MPs on the House of Commons international trade committee Nov. 17 that the $130 million Korean market is in jeopardy.
The United States and the European Union have negotiated free trade deals with South Korea and if they are implemented before Canada has a deal, Canadian pork exporters could not compete.
“Our South Korean contacts made it very clear that without an agreement with South Korea, the Canadian pork industry would be almost out of that market within two years,” Pomerleau said.
He said the threat to the Korean market is just one of many issues hurting the industry’s export efforts, although Canada remains the world’s third largest exporter with 20 percent of the global market.
He said China continues restrictions because of the H1N1 virus, Russia refuses to accept product from most Canadian pork plants and India has s refused to negotiate a veterinary agreement with Canada that would open the door to pork imports.
“We now have rumours from South Africa that they could use a technical barrier to block out exports,” Pomerleau said.
“It goes on and on.”
He said the biggest way the government could help the industry would be to step up efforts to open markets.
“Really go around the world and talk to our trade partners to resolve all the outstanding market issues.”
