WINNIPEG (Reuters) – Canada’s first commercial shipments of beef and tallow to China in seven years may happen in December or early 2011.
China agreed earlier this year to accept Canadian boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months and beef tallow as a first step to full market access.
Although beef officials had expected the first shipments this past summer, trade is more likely to resume in December at the earliest, said John Masswohl, director of government and international relations for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
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Canada is the first country affected by BSE to regain access to China.
Its initial access to China is worth an estimated $60 million.
Tallow, which is fat that has industrial applications, is the most valuable part.
The two countries still need to agree on export certification, and Chinese inspectors may want to make a second visit to Canadian slaughter plants, Masswohl said.
To resume trade in tallow, the countries also need to agree on technical conditions, he said.
“We’re still at it, but we’re not across the goal line yet.”
