Ontario officials prepare for China trade mission
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
by SUSAN MANN
The Ontario agri-food trade mission to China next week represents opportunity both aboard and domestically, says provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal.
Many of the commodities Ontario produces are known worldwide for quality and safety and that’s why “more and more countries like China are looking to Ontario,” he says. Leal made the remarks during a telephone press conference Wednesday morning about the upcoming mission.
Leal and Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade Minister Michael Chan are leading the 10-day trade mission to China starting April 16. The mission includes representatives from 20 organizations and businesses, including officials from Ontario Pork, Beef Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, Pelee Island Winery, Pillitteri Estates Winery, R.D. Legault Seeds Ltd., the University of Guelph and Thomas Canning Ltd. of Maidstone.
Currently, most of Ontario’s agri-food exports head to the United States and Europe but China is the province’s second largest trading partner with Ontario agri-food sales in 2014 to that country totaling $832 million, says Chan. For the province to grow its economy and create jobs, it’s critical for Ontario to foster and deepen partnerships outside of its traditional trading partners.
“Ontario must diversify and be an active participant in seeking new markets in Asia, India, South America and other places,” he says.
Chan says the delegation will be promoting Ontario “as a North American leader in international trade and investment and also expand the Ontario (Canada) brand in a key global market” of 1.3 billion people. “Encouraging Ontario companies to export is a big priority for our government.”
Leal says the trade mission by Premier Kathleen Wynne, Chan and Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid last fall laid the groundwork for this April’s mission. “At every stop during that trip, Chinese government officials enquired about Ontario agri-food products. We want to build on this important momentum.”
During this April’s mission, Leal says two principles will guide the delegation’s work: helping industry identify new export opportunities “with the goal of seeing immediate results” and fostering relationships with Chinese government and business leaders “to set the stage for continued growth over the long term.”
Increasing Ontario’s exports will also help the province reach the premier’s target to the agri-food industry to double its rate of growth and create 120,000 new jobs by 2020.
Bob Gordanier, Beef Farmers president, says his organization looks “forward to learning about China’s beef industry, including traceability, food safety and the growing need for high quality beef.” The trade mission will give the organization an opportunity to meet with Chinese agricultural industry representatives and give Beef Farmers a chance to promote the value of Ontario’s high quality beef.
“As wealth and income grows in China, there will be a greater demand for high quality proteins,” he adds. “The ability to sell beef into a market willing to pay for high quality beef is critical to maximizing the value of each animal produced in Ontario.”
As far as the temporary restriction imposed by China on Canadian beef exports in February due to the Alberta BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) case is concerned, Leal says it’s the federal government’s responsibility to deal with that.
The trade impact of a recent avian influenza outbreak in Ontario is also a federal responsibility Leal says, noting the Canadian Food Inspection Agency “takes the lead in this particular matter.
“Our trade mission is to develop ongoing relationships with business leaders and agricultural leaders in China.” BF