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 1299

Canada Pork International says the higher value of the Canadian dollar is squeezing the Canadian pork industry's ability to compete on the international market.

Canadian pork set a new record in 2002 in terms of global exports maintaining Canada's position as the world's largest exporter, if you exclude inter-European Union trade.

Canada Pork International President Bill Vaags says the rising value of the Canadian dollar is hurting Canada's ability to compete in the world market, particularly with the United States.

"We're less competitive in the international market since the dollar has gone from 65 cents up to 75 almost, for a day or so.

That is certainly having a major effect on our competitiveness in the international market. Whoever's got the weakest currency is the one that's the most competitive.

Currently that almost puts the US in a position ahead of us because our dollar has gone from 65 up to 75.

The Australians are somewhat of a competition but they're not a real big player in the export market so naturally the United States is probably one of our biggest competitors in the global market".

Vaags says Canada's other two largest competitors, Denmark and the Netherlands, utilize a much different marketing system than Canada and are not affected to nearly the same extent by fluctuations in the dollar.

For example, he says, Denmark does much of its marketing through a pooled system for the whole country with the backing of the European Union.

He says the Danes claim they have no export subsidies but, one way or another, they sell product at a very high price in the European market which allows them to sell whatever products are left over at a lesser price on the international market.