China Fully Reopens Its Pork Market

By Harry Siemens

Bill Alford, the general manager of Hams Marketing of Winnipeg, texted good news on January 20 to the HB WhatsApp group.

“Good news for Canadian pork processors. China has re-listed Maple Leaf (Brandon), Thunder Creek, Sofina and Conestoga,” said Alford.

“Yes, Chinese authorities have lifted the suspensions on the remaining five pork plants that were initially suspended over Covid start - ing in the summer of 2020. So it essentially brings us back to 100 per cent access for pork. Its great news for the Canadian pork industry,” said Trevor Sears the president and CEO of Canada Pork.

Canada Pork is the domestic and global market intelligence and promotional organization for the Canadian pork industry.

Established in 1991 by the Canadian Meat Council, its membership includes pork processors, meat trading companies and the 7,000 commercial hog producers in the Canadian Pork Council.

On August 19, 2020 Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon, temporarily suspended exports of pork products to China after dozens of workers at the company’s plant and one at their Lethbridge, AB plant tested positive for COVID-19. The company did so because of a Chinese protocol that requires any plant reporting a COVID19-positive case to suspend exports to China temporarily.

In a release, Michael McCain, Maple Leaf’s president and CEO said, “That the company respects China’s new import protocols for Canadian products and is working cooperatively with Canadian and Chinese authorities to resume exports quickly.”

A media report that same day said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said there is currently no scientific evidence that food or food packaging is a likely source or route of virus transmission.

Alford said, “To get into China with a lot of the pork cuts or credits as they call them, the offal, feet and heads and that sort of thing is a primary market.”

Without going to China, it handicaps a lot of plants. For example, Maple Leaf is a big plant where those products went into rendering or just to a landfill to clear the floor.

“So that’s a big deal for a plant that size, the volume and being able to at least get something back for it,” said Alford. “It’s not just a cost.”

He said the most significant point is that the delisted Canadian ones can compete on a level playing field with other plants. As a result, they are getting more value out of that hog.

Alford confirmed it with both Thunder Creek and Maple Leaf on the evening of January 19. “And they’re aware, so obviously, it’s real,” he said.