UK farmers looking for opportunities to export beef products to China will be encouraged by the recent relaxation of export criteria. A recent UK government press release titled “China opens doors to British Beef” explains what is being offered.<\/p>\n
A summary of the press release is reproduced below:<\/p>\n
The British beef industry is set to benefit from an estimated £230 million boost as the Chinese government today (18 October) finalised details of a historic UK-China agreement.<\/p>\n
For the first time in over 20 years, UK farmers and beef producers will have full access to the Chinese market, marking the end of a ban imposed by China following the BSE outbreak in 1996.<\/p>\n
Today’s announcement follows extensive inspections by the Chinese authorities – who have confirmed that British beef producers meet the necessary standards to export to their market – and marks the final step in securing access.<\/p>\n
The Chinese authorities have cleared four beef sites for export in the first instance – with further sites under review – and the first exports are expected to be shipped in the next few months.<\/p>\n
The China-UK beef agreement is the culmination of several years of engagement between UK and Chinese government officials. China’s ban was lifted in June last year<\/a> when market access engagement for UK beef exports began.<\/p>\n