Sketchy export certificates and a banned feed additive . . .
China has temporarily suspended all meat imports from Canada. At issue are fraudulent export certificates on shipments of Canadian pork attesting to the products’ safety. Chinese authorities detected the feed additive ractopamine in shipments. Ractopamine is banned as a feed additive in China, the EU, and much of the rest of the world, although it is legal in 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, and Japan.
Canada, we have a problem . . .
Canada’s Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, admitted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) found “inauthentic export certificates,” but called it a “technical issue” that applies only to export certificates to China. She said the CFIA “informed appropriate law enforcement agencies,” indicating that the CFIA suspects counterfeiting. Jim Carr, Canada’s Minister of Export Diversification, announced the launch of an investigation.
Demonstrating the safety of Canada’s meat supply chain . . .
China’s imports of Canadian pork surged in the first three months of the year, spiking nearly 300 per cent from the same period in 2018, reaching C$312 million in value and accounting for 22 per cent of Canada’s pork exports. China’s own pork production is plummeting due to African swine flu, and its trade standoff with the U.S. is forcing it to seek alternate suppliers. Brazil is the main beneficiary, but Canada had been filling some of that gap. The issue presents an opportunity to clamp down on fraud within the Canadian export certification systems to demonstrate that Canada’s meat supply chains adhere to standards required by all customers.
READ MORE
- CBC News: Canada launches probe into false documents as China halts imports of meat
- Global Times: Ban on Canadian products won’t affect China pork supply
- The Globe and Mail: China halts meat imports from Canada
