Erik Schwindt and Doug Ahrens of
Ontario are joining 12 hog producers from other parts of Canada on
a trade mission to try to sell more pork to Japan.
The aim is to take full advantage of greater market
access included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal due to be signed in Chile
on March 8.
“During this trade advocacy mission, delegates will be
able to understand the new opportunities being created by the signature of the
CPTPP and how to further develop the market,” said Rick Bergmann, chairman of the
Canadian Pork Council.
“Pork producers will also witness the importance of
on-farm programs for international customers and see how their product is
marketed to buyers in Japan,” he said.
On Monday, March 5th, during the first day of the
mission, delegates will meet with Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence and
will visit a retail store to see how Canadian pork is marketed.
Delegates will visit several retailers and witness
in-store demonstrations on Tuesday, and take part in the food expo Foodex on Wednesday
where a Canada Pork International representative will be marketing Canadian
pork to Japanese buyers. Meetings with government officials are also planned.
Japan is the second-biggest market for Canadian
pork, last year buying 252,147 tonnes worth $1.2 billion.
Canada exports 70 per cent of the pork it produces to
more than 100 countries.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership deal opens other
lucrative Asian markets, such as Viet Nam, Malaysia and
Singapore.
Other partners in the TPP are Brunei, Australia, New
Zealand, Mexico, Chile and Peru.
There are hints now that United States President
Donald Trump wants back in, but he also wants more concessions.
It’s not clear that the TPP nations, having been
spurned earlier by Trump, are interested in another round of negotiations with
his administration.
