CANADA has assured Filipino consumers and authorities that it observes stringent standards to ensure the safety of its meat products after China disallowed Canadian shipments over bogus documents.
Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines John T. Holmes said the decision of Beijing to disallow meat shipments from Canada due to the discovery of bogus veterinary health certificates is “very much a concern” for Ottawa.
“It is unfortunate that this has happened,” Holmes said during the BusinessMirror’s Coffee Club forum on Thursday.
“I am sure our officials are working on this as a priority since the meat industry is very important to our economy. We will do what we have to do to ensure that products are inspected and safe and meet international standards,” he added.
Beijing on Tuesday asked Canada to stop exporting meat products to China after it discovered 188 bogus pork export certificates.
Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has “identified an issue involving inauthentic export certificates.”
Canadian pork exporters said they could shift to other markets—such as Mexico, the United States and the Philippines—once Canada halts shipments to China, according to a Reuters report, citing Canada Pork International.
Room for growth
Holmes said Canada is more than willing to cooperate with local livestock and poultry raisers to ensure a steady meat supply in the Philippines given the “exponential” growth in demand.
“We know that there is sensitivity in the pork industry here that it wants to see itself to develop and grow. [We understand] production is not enough for the local market and that is room for growth,” he said.
“We could have a scope for partnership without undercutting the different industries, but complementing and supporting the sectors through cooperation,” he added.
Holmes also urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to implement meat-trade regulations that are science-based.
The Philippines was Canada’s fifth-largest market for pork in 2018. Canada Pork International data showed the Philippines imported 47,508 metric tons (MT) of pork valued at CAD101.227 million.
Meat products, particularly pork, are one of the top five commodities bought by the Philippines from Canada.
Last year the Philippines imported a total of 76,403.602 MT of Canadian meat products. The figure was 13.10 percent higher than the 67,550.053 MT the country purchased in 2017, according to Bureau of Animal Industry data.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza