China reopens the market for Belgian pork
The news was announced by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and General Administration of Customs, which said in a joint statement that Belgian pig and pork exports must comply with statutory inspection and quarantine requirements.
"This is very good news for our Belgian pig farmers", Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib told reporters in Beijing. "They are known far beyond our borders for their high-quality pork. Together with Agriculture Minister David Clarinval, I have worked hard in recent years to lift the Chinese embargo. With results".
Belgium is the EU’s eighth largest pig producer and its fifth largest exporter, making up around 4 percent of the bloc’s pork production. After the September 2018 epidemic, 29 countries placed embargoes on Belgian pork. Almost all of them have since lifted the bans, with China being one of the last holdouts.
The regularization will be a godsend to Belgian producers, who have desperately lobbied to regain their access to the world’s largest pork market, as well as a small win for EU leaders, who have been calling on Beijing to ease trade barriers amid a ballooning trade deficit.
"This success not only benefits our pig farmers, but also means more exports and a better trade balance with China", said Lahbib.
Belgium's Agriculture Minister David Clarinval described the lifting of the trade embargo as a great victory for Belgian pig farmers. Since Belgium has been officially ASF-free since the end of 2020, it is a logical step that will also have a positive impact on the Belgian economy. Belgium is particularly planning to export by-products such as pig heads and feet to China, since, according to the farmers' association, there is no market for these products in Europe.
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