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China to reopen pork market to US exports

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-03-19 10:18

China agreed to reopen its market to imports of US pork, ending a ban that went in place after the outbreak of the H1N1 flu last year, the US trade representative's office said.

"This agreement is a win for America's pork producers, whose safe and high-quality exports can now flow freely into China," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement announcing the agreement. "We look forward to working cooperatively to resolve additional issues, including a resumption of trade in beef."

China, the world's largest producer and consumer of pork, blocked shipments from 49 US states after the outbreak of the H1N1 flu that began last April. Concern about the H1N1 virus cut consumer demand and curbed US exports to major markets including China, resulting in losses among US producers.

Before China's decision to prohibit imports from the US because of concerns about the H1N1 flu, US pork and pork variety exports to China were about $275 million in 2008, making it the seventh-largest US export market, according to the US trade representative's office.

At a meeting between the two governments last October, China agreed to remove its ban on pork products. Since then the US and China have worked to implement this commitment. There is no risk to humans from consuming properly prepared pork and pork products, the US says.