August 24, 2007

EU lifts export ban on UK pork

The EU has lifted a ban on UK's pig and pork products imposed due to a recent case of foot and mouth disease in the country.

The British Pig Executive (BPEX) welcomed the news. BPEX Chief Executive Mick Sloyan said the EU was a very important market for Britain.  UK exports to the EU were worth almost GBP 150 million a year.

Most of UK's cull sows were exported to Germany and pork were also exported for manufacturing. The re-opening of these temporarily lost markets will relieve some of the pressure in the abattoir sector, Sloyan said.

However, he said there was still work to be done in markets outside the EU still closed to UK meats. .

While Europe is a valuable market, British pork is also exported to markets such as Japan and South Korea, Sloyan said.

Negotiations would have to be held in each country and BPEX would provide support to achieve this as soon as possible, he added.