MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Proponents of Canadian beef say the federal government has to do more to help re-establish markets other than the United States.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association has passed a resolution calling for a federal trade mission to China and Taiwan to request the resumption of trade in live cattle, beef and beef products and bovine genetics.
Representatives from Canada Beef Export Federation also said federal leaders should meet directly with Asian leaders to reassure them that Canadian beef is safe and ask for full market access.
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“We strongly recommend initiating a co-ordinated political, technical and industry strategy in order to maximize the probability of re-establishing trade with markets outside the USA,” export federation chair Ben Thorlakson told the CCA meeting Aug. 14.
He said there are encouraging signals from several countries that that could happen quickly and easily.
In China, for example, officials did not publish the temporary ban on Canadian beef in their official gazette. Thorlakson said that indicates a willingness to review the suspension promptly.
Hong Kong officials have said they would open the market once they are assured that Canada is controlling the use of bone meal in animal feed.
“Mexico is pleading with the U.S. to try to expand the product list of eligible imports, ever since the partial (border) opening,” Thorlakson said.
In the first four months of this year, exports to Asia and Mexico were up in volume by four percent and in value by 19 percent. For the first time, Asia was the primary source of growth.
Mexico is the second-largest market for Canadian beef, behind the U.S.
Thorlakson said Mexico and China should command special attention as Canada works to open the border.
“They are not large importers at this time,” he said of China, “but they are very large importers of the products that we can’t sell today and it would add significantly to the value of a Canadian live animal.”
Those products include thin meats, shank cuts, offal, tripe, intestine and liver.
Attention should also be paid to Russia. The country imports 50,000 tonnes of beef products per month.
“This market is relatively flexible with regard to the source of its imported beef, due to its extreme price sensitivities,” Thorlakson said. “Translated – they love to buy cheap.”
That could allow Canada to move lower value chuck and hip cuts and liver. Canada supplied only 3.8 percent of Japanese imports last year.
