AMERICAN PORK PRODUCERS might be licking their chops at the prospect of exporting to Barbados.
However, Barbados’ 186 per cent duty on the importation of most pork products might make them think twice about such prospects.
That’s based on information released by the The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), which represents about 60 000 pork producers in the United States (US).
NPPC recently reported that the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety & Inspection Service updated updated the export requirements for US pork access to Barbados. The change makes fresh/frozen and cooked pork and pork products officially eligible for export to Barbados NPPC said.
In an announcement to its 43 affiliated state associations, NPPC said: “Barbados has accepted the use of the US pork industry’s Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) programme sourcing as a means to meet trichinae mitigation requirements, which allows for the shipment of fresh chilled pork products without testing, freezing or cooking.
“Previously, wild boar was the only pork product that could be exported to Barbados. According to the US Department of Commerce, the [US] has been shipping very minimal volumes of frozen pork to Barbados over the past few years.”
It added: “The country’s 186 per cent duty on pork products – except ribs and some cuts for hotels – continues to be the biggest hurdle to the market.”
In a note to American pork exporters, the USDA said: “Barbados requires importers to obtain a valid permit prior to import. Products to be imported must be approved by the Barbados Ministry of Agriculture. Exporters should work with importers in Barbados to ensure a valid import permit has been obtained prior to all shipments.
“For fresh/frozen poultry meat, . . . if the poultry product transits a third country between leaving the [US] and entering Barbados, pre-approval must be obtained by the importer of the product from the Veterinary Services/Barbados. In addition, the container must be sealed with an official USDA seal and the seal number must be indicated in the “Remarks” section of the FSIS Form 9060-5.”
A recent report published by the American Journal of Transportation, said American pork producers had an expanded pig population and was looking for more overseas markets.
“The [US] has an expanding pig population and sows are more productive than ever. All of this has put downward pressure on pig-meat prices and producers’ margins. Cheap grain prices have lowered feed costs for the producers – a positive development – but these lower costs have motivated them to expand, perhaps unadvisedly, accelerating the cycle of expanding inventory and lower prices,” the article stated.
“Robust export markets have kept the US hog industry afloat for the last few years, and exports to China, in particular, have expanded rapidly in the last two years, greatly benefiting the domestic industry. As China’s economy has grown, demand for protein has boomed. China now consumes about half of all the pork produced globally, and its domestic industry comes nowhere near satisfying.” (SC)
