QUEBEC CITY (Staff) — The message Canadian livestock and meat producers heard about the Mexican market last week appeared positive.
“Mexico is an exciting new frontier for investment and trade and Canadians should be there,” Salvador Vertiz, agricultural counsellor at the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa told the annual meeting of the Canadian Meat Council Feb. 3.
“I am certain we will see a big jump in trade,” he said in a later interview.
At a meeting of Canada Pork International, the message was equally positive.
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“On the basis of quality and sanitary standards, Canadian pork is number one with our buyers,” Mario Gorena, an official with the Mexican food giant Conagro told the meeting.
“Canadian pork, because of low fat content, is very acceptable in our market. If you check with customers, they say they prefer Canadian product.”
So why, then, do Canadian meat exports make up such a small part of agricultural trade between the two countries? Why are meat exports to Mexico worth just $33 million?
“I would say price,” said Gorena. “You have to be able to compete with the Americans on price. Quality is very important but price is also very important.”
John Baca, a Mexican trade consultant stationed in Texas, told the pork meeting Canadian companies should consider setting up pork production or processing facilities in Mexico.
It is not simply a growing market of 90 million Mexicans, said Baca.
“Mexico can be a window for access to the 300 million consumers who live south of us.”
