China re-admits poultry and pork imports from Chile

However, China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has posted a statement insisting importers submit animal health documents and no–dioxin-contamination test reports from Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG).

AQSIQ said Chile had conducted a "comprehensive investigation and taken effective prevention and controlling measures"​ in solving its dioxin contamination problems, an issue that has been faced by China’s own domestic food health controllers.

The administration noted that Chile authorities had taken effective emergency measures to control the problem, undertaken risk analysis across the entire production system, exchanged information with China and accepted inspection by experts from China.

AQSIQ added that test results would be required from importers for cargoes for three months from 27 March. 

China is an important market for Chile’s pigmeat exporters, being its fourth-largest export target prior to the ban, commanding 6% of total exports, behind Japan (35%), South Korea (24%) and Russia (11%), according to the Chilean Pork Producers Association (ASPROCER). 

"China is an important market for us (Chile), and we want to be an important player in this market,"​ Alvaro Aspee Roa, minister counsellor for agricultural affairs at the Chilean embassy in Beijing, told GlobalMeatNews​. China has also bought 8% of Chile’s poultry exports.

Roa added that Chile’s recent earthquake will not damage Chilean poultry and pork exports as production areas are located in central Chile, more than 2,000 kilometres from the quake epicentre. 

China initially granted Chile access to its pork market in 2010, where it has been competing against larger exports from Germany, Denmark, the USA and Canada. 

Feng Yonghui, an analyst at Chinese pigmeat market advisors soozhu.com said that, in 2013, China imported 600,000 tonnes of pork and 700,000 tonnes of other pigmeat products and by-products in 2013, with less than 10% coming from South America, including Chile.