Uruguay advances in negotiations to export meat without tariffs to China
Uruguay continues to make headway in China, despite the setbacks of the Asian economy and its consequences on the trade balance. In this regard, the island province of Hainan aims to become a free trade zone, and the government is already negotiating trade opportunities and lower tariffs in this new territory.
Hainan is seeking to become a free trade port to facilitate imports for the transformation of goods, and Uruguay does not want to miss out on opportunities. For this reason, the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) Fernando Mattos, visited the island province together with the director of International Affairs of the portfolio, Adriana Lupinacci, in an official mission in which the Consul General of Uruguay for southern China, Martín Álvez, also participated.
The meetings between local authorities and those of Hainan focused on analyzing the commercial possibilities that are part of the Free Trade Port project.
"Uruguay is one of the first to bet, at the government and private level, on sending meat there in order to develop something with a differential", said Daniel Castiglioni, director of Castitrading, which operates in the Chinese market.
One of the meetings held was with authorities from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in which commercial opportunities for Uruguayan agricultural products were explored and a bilateral business exchange in webinar format was considered.
Mattos also visited the facilities of the Sinomach company, which works with food imports in Hainan.
The visit to the Haikou Experimental Zone was one of the highlights of the tour, as there they were able to see first-hand how the free port works and, in particular, how meat is processed. Uruguayan meat importing companies already operate in this area, which, after adding value, can be exported to the rest of mainland China without tariffs.
This pilot plan represents great opportunities for various sectors of Uruguayan agriculture, as pointed out by the MGAP. In this sense, it is hoped that after the visit of the ministerial delegation, relevant information and contacts can continue to be provided to Uruguayan companies.
Mattos also met with the Secretary of the Province of Hainan, where he discussed the ties between Uruguay and the province, highlighting the various instances of dialogue and exchange held during the official mission.
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