Export market openings ‘critical’ for uncertain US pork industry
Thailand has currently banned pork produced with ractopamine, a feed additive to promote leanness in animals, and also does not import uncooked pork and pork offal from the US.
However, the NPPC argued ractopamine had been declared safe to use by numerous scientific assessments from world health organisations and that there was no legitimate reason for Thailand to maintain its “de facto” ban on US pork.
Following Thailand’s refusal to open up access for US pork to the Asian country, the US has warned that it could revoke its place in the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) program, which gives duty-free treatment to certain goods entering the US.
Thailand has been regarded as a top beneficiary of the program and takes “full advantage” of special US trade benefits.
In May, members of the US House of Representatives sent a letter to the ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the US, Virachai Plasai, expressing concerns over unfair trade restrictions placed on US goods.
The US is currently preparing for what is likely to be an uncertain time in the pork industry following retaliatory tariffs imposed by Mexico and China on US pork.
The NPPC believes at a time of peak production levels, it is critical that new export markets are opened for US pork and other agricultural sectors.
“The US ships safe, wholesome and competitively priced pork to more than 100 countries around the world,” said NPPC director of international affairs Maria Zieba.
“Thailand takes full advantage of special US trade benefits, contributing significantly to its large trade surplus with the United States. President Trump has called for reciprocity in our trading relationship with other countries, but there is no reciprocity at all in our trading relationship with Thailand when it comes to pork.”
