Recent changes to Canadian beef trade

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Since mid-December, there have been a few changes to market access for beef being exported and imported in Canada. The Canadian Press reports that Canadian beef exports to Korea have been re-allowed, after a temporary ban was placed by the Korean government in February 2015 over BSE concerns. Korea is an important market for Canadian beef – it was the sixth largest export market for Canada in 2014, worth around US$21 million. In comparison, Australian beef exports to Korea in 2014 were worth US$846 million (Global Trade Atlas).

On the import side, Canada has reportedly re-opened its borders to beef from the EU, after a 19-year ban due to BSE concerns of its own (The Canadian Press). Exports from the EU to Canada have not yet resumed, but the EU Commission is working with exporters to re-establish trade. Argentina has also been given access to the Canadian beef market for the first time since 2001, according to MercoPress. The 2001 ban on Argentinean beef followed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The new trade conditions allow for a calendar year tariff-free volume of 11,809 tonnes, and a tariff of 26.5% over that volume. Australia’s tariff-free volume of beef exports to Canada currently sits at 35,000 tonnes swt, but has the same tariff on excess volume.