The Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management announced in the last days of 2014 that the necessary veterinary protocol was signed by the Austrian ambassador Irene Giner-Reichl and the Chinese general for food safety, Lin Wei, on December 25 in Beijing.
The minister Andrä Rupprechter says, «Especially the Russian ban shows how important it is to have new export markets for our high quality Austrian food products. China is a future market with a ever-growing demand. We can deliver the best quality and that way we will convince the Chinese consumers.»
It took years of negotiations to come to an agreement about the protocol, which is the requirement for meat exports to China. A breakthrough was achieved when Rupprechter visited China in October 2014. With the official signing of the document, all obstacles are out of the way for Austrian meatpackers to make contacts and contracts with Chinese importers.
Not only because of its size China is interesting as export market, the ministry’s press release says. In addition, there is demand to parts of the pig that for which is no demand in Austria, for instance pork bellies.