The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) comes into effect today.
Pork has been designated as a sensitive product which means Canada has been granted a tariff free quota of 62.5 thousand tonnes product weight, which will be phased in over a six year transition period. According to AHDB Pork, this is in addition to the 4,625 tonnes Canada currently has. This total is equivalent to 0.4% of total EU consumption. Any pig meat exported to the EU will have to meet all EU food safety standards.
Canada is mainly an exporter of pig meat rather than an importer. Canadian costs of production are around 25% lower than those in the EU, therefore Canada is unlikely to become a key market for EU exports. However, there is potentially a small niche market in Canada for high-welfare, antibiotic free and hormone free pig meat which the EU could provide for.
For a fuller description of the Canadian pig situation in relation to CETA, published earlier in the year, click here.
