After China’s embassy asked Canada to suspend meat exports to the country over what it calls “forged” certificates, pork producers in Manitoba are optimistic that a deal between the two countries will get sorted out sooner rather than later.
“The Canadian officials and the Chinese officials are working closely together to try and get this matter resolved quickly,” Manitoba Pork Council General Manager Andrew Dickson told 680 CJOB.
“We expect shipments will be slowed up for the next couple of weeks and hopefully we’ll get back into trade again very shortly.”
China is one of Canada’s biggest partners when it comes to pork trade. Manitoba is the second largest producer of pork in Canada next to Quebec.
Don Leitch with the Buisness Council of Manitoba says a disruption of any kind could have a big impact on the economy.
“Exports to China last year were over half a billion dollars,” he said. “Of that, $200 million was from Manitoba. We’re the second largest province exporting pork to China last year.”
In a statement, the Chinese embassy said customs authorities detected ractopamine in a batch of pork products that Canada had sent to China.
Ractopamine is a feed additive that’s banned in certain countries, but can be used in Canada.
China has “immediately suspended the import of pork products from the relevant enterprises and required the Canadian side to carry out investigation,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to depart Wednesday for a G20 leaders’ summit in Japan.
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