May 28, 2008

South Korea seeking to improve competitiveness of local beef and pork
 

The South Korean government is planning to meet local livestock group leaders to discuss methods to improve the competitiveness of local cattle and hog producers as the country moves to fully open its market to US beef.

Vice minister Jeong Hak-soo will be holding talks directly with representatives from the Hanwoo Association, the Korea Dairy and Beef Farmers Association and the Korea Swine Association.

The meeting will discuss the modernisation of South Korea's feed and livestock control system, improving the meat quality of domestically raised animals to better compete with cheaper imports, and to clamp down on illegal country-of-origin mislabeling of meat by butcher shops, restaurants and catering services.

Mislabelling imports as local beef and pork has become a common practise as local meat products are more costly and preferred by consumers.

Livestock groups are opposed to opening the market to US beef as they hold doubt over the government's ability to put support measures into practise.

Nam Ho-kyung, chairman of the Hanwoo Association, said the livestock producers plan to ask the government to set minimum prices for calves and beef cattle, as well as pay full compensation for animals that have to be culled in case of a brucella outbreak.