Canadian pork imports plunge in last 3 months

CEBU, Philippines - Following the implementation of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) new regulations governing handling, packaging and labeling of frozen meat or the controversial Administrative Order (AO22), Canadian pork import to the Philippines plunged for the past three months.

Canadian Embassy to the Philippines trade commissioner Andrew Smith said that the new regulation has already affected the supply flow of frozen meat to the Philippines from Canada, as importers reported a decrease in shipment from 50 cartons a week, before the implementation, to two cartons a week after December last year.

This is a report gathered by the Canadian Embassy from the Filipino importers of meat from Canada, although it is not concrete and largely only an estimate.

In December last year, the Philippine government, through DA officially implemented the AO22, and since then it already affected not only the import flow of frozen meat from Canada, but also the supply meat to the Philippine consumers.

“Canada prides itself with having one of the most stringent food safety programs in the world. We thus, share the common objective of ensuring the quality of products from farm to storage and handling, to packaging then finally to retail, to protect consumer health and welfare,” said Smith.

Smith said the Canadian government, through the Embassy in the Philippines, is helping the pork importers solve this problem, and is currently lobbying for the review of the AO22.

“Due to reports of confiscation of imported meats in the wet market, Canada is concerned that these new regulations are singling out imported meats,” said Smith.

To date, the Philippines has not shared any specific evidence with Canada that justify the stricter measure contained in AO-22 and its proposed replacement being applied to frozen meat, he added.

“We are confident that all meat products entering the Philippines from Canada are of good value, and offer a range of selection for consumers at all levels,” he said in a press interview.

As of 2010, Canada exports to the Philippines reached 84 million Canadian dollar, about 36 percent of which comes from the agri-related products including meat.

Imported meats from Canada complement local meats and meat industries by filling the gap in domestic demand, he added.

Earlier, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham) made its call to the DA asking for an effective regulatory framework regarding the AO22, as it already affects the sales of the frozen meat importers in the country.

In a position paper, CCCP formalized its position that the AO-22 imposes much more severe, detailed and costly health safety standards and processes for imported frozen meat than for production and sale of local warm meat at wet markets.

Although the position paper emphasized that the organization supports essential and effective measures to ensure the production, transportation, packaging, and wholesale/retail selling of both frozen and warm meat in the Philippines, regardless whether imported or local, so the health of consumers is protected.

The AO-22 was issued to address problems within the Philippine retail meat sector, mainly wet-markets, caused by unscrupulous meat vendors selling “tainted” meat.

Under the AO-22, all imported and local frozen meats are treated the same with no singling out of any country or product.

The DA, through national Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), is now preparing a broader AO to cover all “fresh meats”, which would include warm, chilled and frozen, but significantly different standards for each. (FREEMAN)