frenchie
Well-known member
Canadian beef exporters eye European market
this document web posted: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 20050224p73
By Karen Briere
Regina bureau
Ted Haney has his eye on Europe.
The president of the Canada Beef Export Federation says it's possible Canada could one day return to a market it hasn't been in since the mid-1980s.
"Europe is now a beef deficit region," he told delegates to the Agricore United annual meeting in Regina Feb. 9.
While there are hoops to jump through when exporting beef to the European Union, Haney said it has nothing to do with BSE.
"What I'm really talking about is the European Union's ban on the use of growth promoting hormone."
He told reporters that some of the federation's members are interested in producing beef that meets the EU's production protocols and are willing to have their plants inspected and approved by European authorities.
The timing could be right.
Two years ago, the EU imported 20,000 tonnes more beef than it exported.
"In 2005, they're expecting to import more than 200,000 tonnes net and in 2006 that's expected to move to over 400,000 tonnes," Haney said.
"We need to tap into that new increasing market for imported beef and we believe that the European regulators themselves are also going to be more flexible in the approval of our establishments and in agreeing to protocols to meet their import needs."
The primary suppliers to Europe right now are Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia and New Zealand, but Haney said CBEF has identified a market for high-quality, well-marbled steak and roast cuts, and cow beef markets in France.
Europe was Canada's second-largest market at one time. In 1972, it bought nearly 18,000 tonnes of Canadian beef.
By 1984, however, European subsidies and more restrictive import policies had shut the door on Canadian beef.
"Now we're looking at going back to what was once a core export market."
Haney said the industry could avoid the fallout of animal health crises by reducing cattle exports, which would require processing five million animals a year at home. With slaughter plant expansion and new construction coming on stream, Canada could be processing that number by late 2006 or early 2007, he said.
CBEF wants to export 300,000 tonnes of beef to the United States by 2010 and the same amount to other markets.
"As we fully incorporate this increased capacity that's coming to our industry, we believe that our exports will actually be approximately 500,000 tonnes to each the United States and to markets outside the United States, with virtually no trade in live cattle at all."
In 2004, Canada exported beef to 68 markets
this document web posted: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 20050224p73
By Karen Briere
Regina bureau
Ted Haney has his eye on Europe.
The president of the Canada Beef Export Federation says it's possible Canada could one day return to a market it hasn't been in since the mid-1980s.
"Europe is now a beef deficit region," he told delegates to the Agricore United annual meeting in Regina Feb. 9.
While there are hoops to jump through when exporting beef to the European Union, Haney said it has nothing to do with BSE.
"What I'm really talking about is the European Union's ban on the use of growth promoting hormone."
He told reporters that some of the federation's members are interested in producing beef that meets the EU's production protocols and are willing to have their plants inspected and approved by European authorities.
The timing could be right.
Two years ago, the EU imported 20,000 tonnes more beef than it exported.
"In 2005, they're expecting to import more than 200,000 tonnes net and in 2006 that's expected to move to over 400,000 tonnes," Haney said.
"We need to tap into that new increasing market for imported beef and we believe that the European regulators themselves are also going to be more flexible in the approval of our establishments and in agreeing to protocols to meet their import needs."
The primary suppliers to Europe right now are Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia and New Zealand, but Haney said CBEF has identified a market for high-quality, well-marbled steak and roast cuts, and cow beef markets in France.
Europe was Canada's second-largest market at one time. In 1972, it bought nearly 18,000 tonnes of Canadian beef.
By 1984, however, European subsidies and more restrictive import policies had shut the door on Canadian beef.
"Now we're looking at going back to what was once a core export market."
Haney said the industry could avoid the fallout of animal health crises by reducing cattle exports, which would require processing five million animals a year at home. With slaughter plant expansion and new construction coming on stream, Canada could be processing that number by late 2006 or early 2007, he said.
CBEF wants to export 300,000 tonnes of beef to the United States by 2010 and the same amount to other markets.
"As we fully incorporate this increased capacity that's coming to our industry, we believe that our exports will actually be approximately 500,000 tonnes to each the United States and to markets outside the United States, with virtually no trade in live cattle at all."
In 2004, Canada exported beef to 68 markets
