Taiwan lifts ban on some Canadian beef imports
By Canadian Packaging staff
Food Safety General bovine spongiform encephalopathy BSE Canada Beef Canadian beef Canadian beef exports to TaiwanMexico also lifts 10-year ban on some Canadian beef imports
Taiwan, Canada’s seventh-largest beef exporter, has lifted its self-imposed ban on Canadian beef it had initiated following a mad cow disease (BSE, bovine spongiform encephalopathy) outbreak in Alberta in 2015.
Prior to the ban, Canada exported some $12-million of its total $2 billion annual beef exports to Taiwan.
One week earlier, Mexico had lifted its 10-year-long ban on some Canadian cattle imports which is expected to be worth $250 million to Canadian cattle ranchers. Mexico was among dozens of countries that suspended beef trade with Canada after a case of BSE was detected in 2003.
While imports of some products did resume in Mexico, live cattle and meat from animals over 30 months of age were still restricted, cutting off trade in ground beef and other specialty meats.
China appears to be the lone holdout among several countries that had banned Canadian beef in after a breeding cow in Albert was found in February of 2015 to be infected with BSE – though it should be noted that it was the 19th case of BSE within a short period of time.
As for Taiwan, it will now allow bone-in beef and other specified meat products from Canadian cattle under 30 months of age—a beef segment that had been banned since a previous BSE outbreak in 2003.
Taiwan had lifted its ban of Canadian boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age in 2007, but not the bone-in beef.
The move by Taiwan may be part of Taiwan’s efforts to woo Canada via trade and economic boosts via proposed talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
Canada Beef chair Chuck MacLean says: “Our national organization is grateful for the continued effort that the Canadian government has put toward global market access – in this instance, Taiwan.
“Achieving bone-in beef access will further enable the work Canada Beef is doing to increase the brand, value and the resulting loyalty for Canadian beef not only in Taiwan, but leveraging this into Southeast Asia.”
Canada Beef is a cattle producer-funded and run organization responsible for domestic and international beef and veal market development.
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