For Canada’s pork industry, the government attempt to negotiate a Canada-South Korea free trade deal is good news.
Canada’s beef industry is far less bullish on the prospect.
Last week, both industries were at a Parliament Hill hearing on the Canada-South Korea trade negotiation and their messages were different.
Jacques Pomerleau of Canada Pork International told the House of Commons trade committee that South Korea imported $100 million worth of Canadian pork last year, double the 2004 sales.
“We expect that market to keep growing over time,” he told MPs while supporting the negotiations.
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Pomerleau warned that without a bilateral free trade deal, Canadian access to the South Korean pork market could suffer because Chile has negotiated a free trade deal and the United States is interested.
“Our trade is already beginning to suffer,” he told MPs.
Ted Haney, president of the Canada Beef Export Federation, told MPs that Canada should not consider a free trade deal with South Korea until that country opens its borders to Canadian beef. They have been closed since the first BSE case in May 2003.
If talks go ahead, Haney said Canada must negotiate terms at least as good as those offered to other countries including the U.S. Their tariff rates on bovine products should be zero, South Korea must agree not to use food safety, animal disease or animal welfare rules as non-tariff barriers and tariffs should not be higher on more value-added products.
He also cautioned MPs and Canadian negotiators to not offer reciprocal access to Canada for South Korean cattle or beef. He said South Korea has serious animal health problems including foot-and-mouth disease.
