As of yesterday (9 October), the status for Export Health Certificate (EHC) 1638 – poultry meat and meat products to South Korea – was reopened. Businesses are now able to apply online to export their poultry meat products to South Korea.
Welcoming the news that exports of poultry meat to South Korea was back on the table, Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) spokesman Tony Goodger said: “It is great that, as a result of the UK being declared free from Avian Influenza earlier this year, UK trade negotiators have been able to successfully re-open this high value market.”
The reopening of South Korea’s borders to UK poultry followed the announcement earlier this week that UK traders are ow able to export poultry to South Africa for the first time in eight years.
Antigua opportunity
“In addition to South Africa and South Korea reopening Export Health Certificate (EHC) 1805, ‘Export fresh poultry meat to Antigua’ has also returned to ‘active’ status, having been placed on hold due to a Caribbean ban in March 2021,” Goodger added.
“I have been in regular contact with the Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA) on behalf of AIMS members in relation to UK EHCs being ‘on hold’ or where trade barriers have been placed to try to understand what needs to be done to enable AIMS members as well as other exporters access these markets.”
AIMS hoped the growing number of markets becoming open to UK poultry traders will soon extend to Saudi Arabia, a key market that has been on hold since October 2020. However, the updates team at APHA’s Centre for International Trade said this was unlikely to be resolved soon.
“I can only speculate but the recent announcement from The Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company that it now holds double-digit stakes in the world’s third and seventh largest poultry producers – having taken a 12.6% stake in Ukrainian business MHP – may mean that UK poultry producers will have to wait some time before gaining access to this valuable Middle East Market,” Goodger concluded.
South African trade mission
Meanwhile, six UK export businesses joined the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDV) for a five-day mission to South Africa as part of a mission to help meet the country’s growing appetite for red meat.
In the first half of this year the UK shipped 2,772 tonnes of beef worth £2.4m to South Africa – up 50% in volume and 27% in value on the year. In the same period 3,167 tonnes of pig meat worth £5.4m were also exported – up 34% in volume and 52% on the year respectively.
Jonathan Eckley, AHDB head of international trade development, said: “South Africa presents a number of opportunities for UK exports of beef and pork and the figures for the first half of this year are encouraging.
“This mission highlights our ongoing commitment to support exporters develop global opportunities for red meat exports across a broad portfolio of international markets. It also provides the platform for us to continue to enhance the UK’s reputation as supplier of high-quality red meat and variety meat.”
