The Minister of Agriculture promised before the Senate on Tuesday, saying: “We will fight certificate after certificate, and each country individually.” luis planas, He announced this in response to questions from the opposition UK The same restrictions will apply to Spanish pigs as in the rest of the EU. That is, minus the 20 km area around the focus African swine fever (ASF), the rest of the country will be able to export to the British market.
In this way, Spanish pork has been able to reopen several important markets, although the road will be steeper between non-EU countries. All of the above, though China’s position is more positive Limiting the veto to the Barcelona boycott could play a key role in the decision taken by other buyers, such as South Korea and the Philippines.
Complex negotiations
The main destination for Spanish pigs outside the EU is ChinaWith a value of 1,059.32 million euros, by implementing the export protocol signed in the middle of last month. but, Japan (751.67 million euros), the second largest non-EU client after the Asian giant, is firmly closed. Next on the list is South KoreaWhich last year purchased pork products from us in the amount of $304.5 million, and is now focusing a large part of the efforts of the sector and the Ministry of Agriculture, as he confirmed to Economic information Informed sources. A slight optimism was starting to make its way in.
“If China opens its market, others will do so: Asia, with the exception of Japan, tends to follow what this country dictates,” Francesc Rouvas (EAE Business School)
EAE Business School professor, Francesc Rouvas, tells this newspaper that “The United States and Japan are strict in their protectionist policies.” And that they usually impose “internal regulations with very strict production, labeling and health standards.” There is a type of non-tariff barrier, in this expert’s opinion Response lower than the tariff “Which usually has compensation.” Ironically, conditions are not usually met by many local producers, according to Rouvas.
As for South Korea, he’s sure of it “If China opens its market, others will do the same: “Asia, with the exception of Japan, tends to follow what this country sets,” says this analyst who knows this sector, and remember that “60% of our exports are destined for these countries. This represents 30% of what we produce.” Moreover, he concludes that “China didn’t have much of a choice “Since supply sources are not easy to change, it requires months of planning and large-scale purchases.”
Since November 29, South Korea has suspended imports of pork and pork products, as well as tripe and hides from Spain. On which all feed is attached
“The files will be reopened”
The latest update from the administration headed by Luis Planas indicates that, since November 29, South Korea has maintainedImports of pork and its derivatives are suspendedAs well as entrails and skins. In addition, it vetoes all feed coming from Spain. From the National Pig Cattle Producers Association (ANPROGAPOR), its general director Miguel Angel Higuera expressed somewhat optimism about South Korea. He added, “We believe that the files will be reopened and that there will be no problem.” “It accepts the European health requirements,” says Higueras in statements to this newspaper, who also defends that the alert was communicated to the world. “Barely 12 hours after the first outbreak was detected.” He hopes that international markets will take this transparency into consideration.
Rouvas (EAE Business School) believes that the next few days will be crucial. “Yes, until next Friday or Saturday, Whatever is discovered is within limits, and the disease will be overcome and arrested in time.” All this, despite the fact that in his opinion “it could happen again because half of Europe is contaminated.” 14 European countries where plague is present African swine flu (ASF), “because within seven days all the animals infected with the virus will have died and the sources of contamination will have been eliminated.” Although the pathogen will remain dormant.
For Miguel Ángel Higuera, Director General of the National Association of Pork Producers (ANPROGAPOR), a large part of the future of the sector is at stake “in the ability to move to other cheaper destinations, for more than 700 million euros, what is no longer sold in Japan.”
“Transportation” of exports, the key to the coming days
The exact opposite is true for Japan. Higueras admits that he is not optimistic and regrets the closure of the Japanese market, because this sector sells value-added products in that country. “It’s a shame we lost him“Although the Minister gave us his word that every destination will be fought for,” he laments. General Manager of ANPROGAPOR, who mentions other places related to Spanish ham such as Malaysia also VietnamHe believes that a large part of the future is at stake “in the ability to move to other cheaper destinations, which is no longer sold in Japan for more than 700 million euros.”
Higuera assumes there will be a loss and He is confident that Spanish pork can be sold in other countries. Moreover, the representative of the producers refers to the possibility of lower prices in reference to lower prices in Merculeda, the sector’s reference market, and asks the rest of the value chain (industry, traders and large-scale distribution) to pass on these price reductions to “encourage national consumption”.