(The Canadian Press)

By Canadian Press

Trudeau tweets...

Canadian pork, beef exports to China to resume after four-month suspension

Nov 5, 2019 | 11:41 AM

OTTAWA — A Chinese ban on the import of Canadian pork and beef products estimated to have cost farmers almost $100 million to date is being lifted, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.

“Good news for Canadian farmers today: Canadian pork and beef exports to China will resume,” Trudeau said on Twitter.

China had suspended imports in June, saying its customs inspectors detected residue from a restricted feed additive in a batch of Canadian pork products. A subsequent investigation found forged veterinary health certificates attached to the batch, which led to an RCMP investigation.

But the suspension also came at a challenging time in Canada-China relations following Canada’s detention late last year of a top executive at the Chinese tech company Huawei, and the subsequent arrest of two Canadians in Beijing — a move that’s been widely seen as retaliation for the December arrest of Meng Wanzhou.

In September, the Canadian Meat Council added up the financial cost of the suspension to Canadian industry, pegging it at close to $100 million.

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On Tuesday, they heralded the resumption of trade as good news.

“Our long-standing trade relationship with China is very important to both sides and this represents an important step for both countries,” Chris White, president of the Canadian Meat Council, said in a statement.

Both White and Trudeau extended particular thanks to Canada’s new ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, who became Trudeau’s envoy to China in September, just prior to the start of the federal election campaign.

China’s own new ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, also took up his new duties in September.

Diplomatic relations between Canada and China have been tense since arrest of Meng, Huawei’s chief financial officer and the daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei. She was detained at the request of the U.S. over allegations of violating sanctions on Iran. Her extradition trial begins in January.

Days later, China imprisoned Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Barton has since met with both.

Elsewhere, officials with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association revealed they too were pleased with Tuesday’s announcement.

“The Canadian beef industry looks forward to the resumption of trade and continuing to build the long-standing Canada-China trade relationship,” said Bob Lowe, CCA Vice President and Chair of the Foreign Trade committee. “The CCA thanks the Governments of Canada and China for their work in resolving the issue.”

CCA officials note shipments of Canadian beef to China represented 2.6 per cent of Canada’s total beef exports last year. In 2018, Canadian beef exports to Mainland China were up 19 per cent in volume and 15 per cent in value at 10,300 tonnes valued at $97 million.

In the first half of 2019, exports to China were up 299% in volume and 271% in value at 11,315 tonnes valued at $96 million.

With exports set to resume once again, the CCA and other industry stakeholders will now be in China in the coming weeks of November to continue to build on the Canada-China trade relationship.

Officials with Alberta Pork have also welcomed the news.

Meanwhile, China still bans the import of Canadian canola seed, over what they allege is contamination.

That dispute has made its way to the World Trade Organization.