Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1193

Canada Pork International says Mexico appears to offer the greatest potential for increased exports of Canadian pork during 2003. Figures released by Statistics Canada show exports of Canadian pork rose by about 13 percent last year...from 718 thousand tonnes in 2001 to more than 812 thousand tonnes in 2002.

Canada Pork International Executive Director Jacques Pomerleau says, this year, the elimination of Mexican tariff rate quotas and duties on Canadian pork and pending Mexican trade action against the US could create new opportunity for Canadian processors.

"The top markets in 2002 were the United with roughly 50 percent, Japan which is now more than 20 percent of our total exports and Australia is our third largest market in value but not in volume.

Mexico, Korea, Russia and China-Hong Kong also represent the major markets for Canada but we expect that Mexico, because there are no longer any tariffs or any quotas involved, could be a significant market for Canada.

This year the tariff rate quotas and the duties have been completely eliminated. We have issues to resolve with Russia and China, in terms of meat import quotas for Russia that are being set up and with China measures regarding labelling requirements."

Pomerleau says it remains to be seen how the elimination of tariff rate quotas and duties will affect the volume of Canadian pork purchased by Mexico. He says another uncertainty is how Mexico's pending trade action against US pork will affect Canadian sales.

He says, once Mexico announces the results of its investigation against US pork, we'll see how the market shapes up for Canada.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.