Canadian pork producers and processors have responded actively to new trade deals — and their success during the last decade has them looking for more opportunities.
Statistics from the Canadian Pork Council show that in the decade ending in 2016, exports rose in value by 51 per cent to $3.8 billion from 2006 and by 19 per cent since 2011.
Measured by volume, they grew by 21 per cent over the last decade to 1.2 billion kilograms and eight per cent since 2011. Between 2015 and 2016, the growth in value of exports was nine per cent and in volume it was five per cent.
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“Pork producers understand that market access is of paramount importance to the sustainability of the country and the hog industry,” CPC chair Rick Bergmann said. “The development of international market opportunities like Japan and China creates Canadian jobs across the country, attracts investment and contributes to growing the economy.”
Because of these clear benefits, the council takes a proactive position in support of international market access, he said.
“It is a strong advocate for pursuing new or expanding existing trade agreements to increase market access or prevent deterioration in Canada’s competitive position in a market,” Bergmann said.
The statement came as the European Parliament and the House of Commons ratified the Canada-Europe free trade deal.
The council says Canada exported pork to more than 100 countries. The United States, China and Japan remain Canada’s top three pork export markets in both volume and value.
Japan continued as a high-valued market worth $1.07 billion for Canadian pork. Demand for Canadian pork in the Chinese market increased by 144 per cent in 2016. Canada shipped 312,000 tonnes of pork, worth $580 million, to China, an increase of 157 per cent.
“Canadian hog producers, pork processors and meat traders and the many other companies in Canada that provide inputs and services to our industry have a very strong interest in Canada aggressively pursuing further progress toward reducing agri-food trade barriers and trade-distorting subsidies, and achieving additional market access,” Bergmann said.
The pork industry generates $13.1 billion in economic activity and 31,000 on-farm jobs. Another 69,000 Canadians rely on the pork sector for their livelihoods. Well over 70 per cent of the industry’s output is now exported.
