UK eyes China for major pork export opportunity

01-09-2009 | Home | News

Agreement to export UK pig meat to China is nearing fruition as a delegation of Chinese veterinarians visits the UK next month.

Four vets from the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China will be visiting the UK between 2 and 11 September to access British pork production from farm to abattoir, cutting plants and export cold stores.

This important visit is one of the last links in the chain of accreditation for pork exports to China. The group will be hosted jointly by Defra, BPEX and QMS as well as individual processing companies.

BPEX Director Mick Sloyan said: “This is the final hurdle and the conclusion of years of work to gain access to the Chinese market for pork.

“The Far East is already an important destination for British pork with exports, approaching £20 million a year.

“However, China is by far the largest and most attractive market and has a strong demand for cuts of pork that are less popular in Europe. After all, half the world’s pork is eaten in China.

“We have been working closely with the Chinese authorities and gaining access to mainland China should be a valuable addition to our export business.”

The group will be accompanied by a Defra veterinarian, a meat exporter and a translator and will visit five processors, a cold store, a pig farm and a laboratory.