China is still closed market for Dutch pork

Dutch agriculture minister, Gerda Verburg, had expected to sign a preliminary agreement with the Chinese on her visit to Beijing at the end of October. However, no concrete steps were made, as stated in an article in the Dutch newspaper, Agrarisch Dagblad.

Verburg did not have the opportunity to meet with her Chinese counterpart due to a prolonged communist party conference.

Pigmeat sector
Tjeerd den Hollander, of the Dutch Product Board for Livestock, Meat and Eggs (PVE), does not believes that the Dutch pigmeat sector is falling behind its EU counterparts as a result of not breaking in to the Chinese market.

“Denmark does have access to the Chinese market, the French too have signed a basic protocol, however, this does not mean that they are exporting heaps of meat to the country,” said Den Hollander. “Rumours flew a number of weeks ago of a large French order, which did not go through at the last minute”.

The Chinese are currently managing the increased consumption of pork within its borders through opening the door slightly to imports from the EU and elsewhere. It would be wise for the Dutch to continue knocking on the door and follow the neighbours’ example.

Related website:

• PVE

• Dutch Ministry of Agriculture

• Agrarisch Dagblad

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