January 23, 2008

UK and China seals pork trade agreement
 

According to an article in the Telegraph newspaper, Britain has signed an agreement to export pigs' trotters to China.

The agreement which will cover all British pork, was signed by UK prime minister Gordon Brown last weekend during his visit to China. This is following years of complex negotiations involving several different ministries, veterinarians, diplomats and scientists.

Chinese cuisine are famous for favouring pig offal, and it is believed that the agreement can help the market for offal to develop even though there is a low demand for offal in the UK.

Trade will not begin until the UK is cleared officially of foot and mouth disease, which is expected to occur later this month.

The agreement is well received by the British embassy in Beijing. It stated that as the UK and China have had no previous bilateral trade in pork products, the signing of the protocol will mark a significant step forward for UK exports to China, and it will be of mutual benefit to the UK and China.

Export market for British pork is worth around GBP150 million (US$295.3 million) mainly in Europe whereas China is the biggest pork producer and consumer in the world.