April 23, 2004

 

 

Taiwan Ready To Reopen Market To US Beef

 

Taiwan could reopen its market to U.S. beef after the re-count in its presidential election is finished next month, a U.S. industry official said on Thursday.

 

He also said U.S. efforts are inching forward to get Japan to accept American beef for the first time since mad cow disease was discovered in Washington state in December.

 

"We're looking at Taiwan sometime after the 20th of May," to ease its ban on American beef, said Phil Seng, president of the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

 

Taiwan is a major importer of American beef, buying 19,225 metric tons last year valued at $76.5 million.

 

A re-count in Taiwan's close presidential election is expected to begin next month with the aim of finishing it by May 20. Incumbent Chen Shui-bian would begin another term if he is declared the winner.

 

In late March, Taiwan food safety officials praised steps taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent further cases of mad cow disease, following the Dec. 23 discovery of the first known case in the United States.

 

U.S. government and industry officials are concentrating more effort in recapturing the Japanese market, the largest foreign destination for American beef.

 

A team of U.S. officials is set to meet on Saturday in Tokyo to try to break an impasse that has halted about $1.4 billion in annual American beef exports.

 

A major barrier in the issue had been Tokyo's insistence that all 36 million cattle slaughtered in the United States each year be tested for mad cow disease. The USDA has rejected that request.

 

"The expectation is that Japan and the United States would construct a framework for going forward," Seng said of the Tokyo talks.

 

Seng made his remarks to reporters during a U.S. meat industry review of mad cow safeguard efforts.

 

Another U.S. meat industry source, who had asked not to be identified, revealed that U.S.-Japan discussions this weekend will include establishing an "end date" for Tokyo to halt its blanket ban on American beef.

 

The industry executive said the U.S. goal is to establish a phased resumption of trade, possibly starting with boneless boxed beef which is thought to have the smallest risk for mad cow. That was the model Washington followed when reopening beef trade with Canada after that country found a case of mad cow disease last May.

 

According to industry officials, other topics in the bilateral talks include a detailed U.S. description of expanded testing for mad cow disease, and steps taken to remove the riskiest cattle tissues from the food supply.

 

But a Japanese government official warned on a separate occasion that "one meeting cannot settle everything."