June 30, 2006

 

China conditionally resumes US beef imports

 

 

China conditionally resumed beef imports from the US starting Thursday (Jun 29), the Ministry of Agriculture said.

 

The import resumption applies to boneless cuts from US cows under the age of 30 months, said the ministry in a statement posted on its website Friday.

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued a joint notice on the conditional resumption of US beef imports Thursday, according to the ministry's statement.

 

"The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine will issue and implement the specific requirements for inspecting (US beef) imports," it said.

 

China, like many nations, banned US beef in late 2003, when the first case of mad-cow disease, was discovered in the US

 

In 2003, the US exported 12,422 tonnes of beef to China worth US$28.4 million before the mad cow case emerged. 

 

Earlier in June, USDA Secretary Mike Johanns said the time frame for an agreement that would allow the US to resume beef exports to China was uncertain.

 

His comments contrasted with earlier USDA expectations that an agreement could be reached by Jun 30 - the date US officials said was a deadline pledged earlier by the Chinese government.

 

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi, who led a trade delegation to the US in April, earlier said there would be conditions attached to the resumption of US beef imports.

 

Wu did not specify those conditions, but Johanns said China should not be placing cattle-age restrictions on US beef.

 

Hong Kong resumed US beef imports in December, but only for beef from cattle under 30 months old.