Selling beef to China remains an elusive goal for Canadian beef exporters.
Hong Kong is a mature market that buys high quality meat, but mainland China is more difficult to enter with its poorly organized infrastructure and high duties on imported products.
“There is potential for growth but how we manage this game is a challenge right now,” said Charles Ling of Angliss China, a major food supplier in Hong Kong.
China is a growing market, but government has a major influence on buying patterns. Canada should continue to look at niche markets and its ability to move lots of offal.
“China is the major market because the Chinese eat a lot of offal product,” said Ling.
He suggested Canadians work with the Chinese to develop their beef industry by offering technical expertise in building feedlots, cattle production and processing.
China imported 38,000 tonnes of beef last year, of which Canada supplied 1,300 tonnes.
