November 26, 2007

China stalls import of Dutch pork

A preliminary agreement on the entry of Dutch pork to the Chinese market has been further delayed.

Gerda Verbug, Dutch agriculture minister, expected the agreement to be signed before January 1, 2008. However, as of her last visit to Beijing at the end of October, no concrete steps were made.

Verbug explained she was not able to meet with her Chinese counterpart due to prolonged communist party conference.

China is currently opening its borders to EU pork exports due to its increased pork consumption.

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

Den Hollander enthused they would just have to continue negotiations with China until access to the market is given.