British beef producers will soon be able to export their produce to China after a 20-year long ban has been lifted.
Describing China’s decision to stop its restrictions as a landmark move, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) predicted that the export opportunities could see British producers generate £250 million over the first five years of a new market access agreement.
The prohibition on imports of British beef was introduced in the aftermath of the BSE outbreak.
The decision to lift the ban was taken, Defra explains, after several years of site inspections and negotiations between British and Chinese officials.
Acknowledging the painstaking and collaborative work by representatives of both Defra and the agri-food industry, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said that the move is fantastic news for the UK’s food and farming industry.
Speaking for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Dr Phil Hadley also noted the efforts that had gone into securing agreement with the Chinese Government.
“We now look forward to seeing UK beef exported to [China] for the first time in over 20 years,” he said, adding that the Board will begin the work on the export protocols and approvals that will allow commercial shipments to begin.
With the ban lifted, market access negotiations are expected to take about three years.
China is currently the UK’s eighth largest export market for agri-food products. Figures show that Chinese consumers bought over £560 million worth of British food and drink in 2017.
