China removed a ban on shipments of some U.S. beef products, opening up the trade for the first time since 2003 as the country sees a surge in imports of the meat.
The ban on imports of U.S. bone-in beef and boneless beef for livestock under 30 months has been removed, with conditions, effective immediately, according to a statement on Thursday from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Imports must follow requirements under Chinas traceability, inspection and quarantine systems, it said.
China halted imports of U.S. beef in 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was found in Washington state. The country is the worlds second-biggest beef buyer after rapid growth over the past decade created the worlds second-largest economy and an expanding middle class that can afford more protein in their diets. China is already the worlds biggest pork consumer.
The re-opening of China to U.S. beef may provide new opportunities for packers including Tyson Foods Inc., the largest U.S. meat processor, and Cargill Inc., the largest U.S. ground beef maker. Cargill didnt immediately responded to an e-mail requesting comment.
We applaud the efforts of USDA that have led Chinas Ministry of Agriculture to lift its ban on U.S. beef, Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson said in an e-mailed statement. This is a positive step forward and we hope that the two governments can negotiate a strong access agreement for this important market in the near future.
