Canadian beef exporters can expect to regain full market access to Taiwan within the next couple of weeks, Canada’s international trade minister said Thursday.
Posting on Twitter Thursday from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers’ meeting in Detroit, Mary Ng said Taiwanese officials have confirmed the decision, which she hailed as “great news for Canadian beef farmers and exporters.”
“As we negotiate our foreign investment promotion and protection arrangement, we continue to foster opportunities between our two economies, creating good jobs for Taiwanese and Canadian workers,” Ng said in a follow-up tweet.
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Ng and Taiwan’s trade representative John Deng had announced in February that the two parties had agreed to begin formal negotiations on the investment promotion and protection arrangement (FIPA).
Taiwan has had an off-and-on trade relationship with Canadian beef exporters since 2003, when it imposed import restrictions following the discovery of Canada’s first domestic BSE case. Canadian boneless beef from animals under the age of 30 months (UTMs) was again admitted starting in 2007.
Taiwan would again shut its ports to UTM beef in 2015, following the discovery of Canada’s 19th BSE case, the first to be born after Canada’s “enhanced feed ban” was imposed in 2007. Canadian UTM beef, including certain “specified offal,” was again admitted starting in July 2016.
According to market development agency Canada Beef, as of the end of March, Taiwan was ranked No. 10 in 2023 year-to-date among Canadian beef’s export markets by dollar value and No. 9 by volume, taking 270 tonnes worth $2.48 million.
In full-year 2022, Taiwan took in 1,185 tonnes of Canadian beef, valued at $13.96 million.
The Canadian Cattle Association, in a separate tweet Thursday, hailed the minister’s announcement as “welcome news for Canadian cattle farmers and ranchers” and thanked Ng for her work on the beef trade file. –– Glacier FarmMedia Network
