UK exporters are set to benefit from a multi-million pound
boost as Japan today (10 January 2019) opened its market to
imports of UK lamb and beef.
The agreement, signed during Prime Minister Abe’s visit to
the UK, is estimated to be worth a total of £127 million
over the first five years of access – approximately £75
million for beef and £52 million for lamb.
Japan, a major importer of beef with a growing demand for
high quality lamb, has lifted its two-decade long ban on
imports of these products with immediate effect.
The deal follows a year of global successes for UK
exporters, which included China lifting its ban on UK beef,
Taiwan opening its market to pork and India preparing to
import UK sheep meat.
Farming Minister said:
The opening of the Japanese market is an excellent result
for beef and lamb producers across the UK and
demonstrates confidence in our high standards of food and
drink.
As we enter a new era as a global exporter, unlocking
this market marks a major step for future trading
relationships and signals our commitment to supporting
our food and drink industry to export more British
produce.
The lifting of the ban follows a series of visits and
negotiations between UK and Japanese officials, which
culminated in an inspection of UK beef and lamb production
systems in 2018, successfully hosted by Defra and the
Animal and Plant Health Agency, the Food Standards Agency,
Food Standards Scotland, DAERA, the Agriculture and
Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the UK Export
Certification Partnership.
Japan is renowned for its stringent food safety and import
controls regime and opening this market is expected to send
positive signals to other countries, particularly in Asia,
regarding the safety of UK exports.
AHDB International Market Development Director Dr Phil
Hadley said:
Today’s announcement is fantastic news for our farmers
and producers and it follows years of hard work by
government, AHDB and key industry stakeholders.
Access to this lucrative new market is a testament to the
high quality produce and world-renowned standards we have
here in the UK. We are confident this new deal to export
beef and lamb to Japan, alongside our existing pork
trade, will create some exciting opportunities for our
beef and sheep producers.
NFU livestock board chairman Richard Findlay said:
This is clearly very positive news and a much needed
boost for British beef and sheep producers.
Currently 90% of our sheep meat exports go to the EU so
expanding our export portfolio is a hugely positive step.
Japan will no doubt be a high value market which plays
well with the high quality, traceable beef and lamb
produced here.
Benefits will be felt across the supply chain throughout
the UK, with access particularly welcomed by beef producers
in both Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The market opening for lamb will also be good news for
farmers in Wales, where the meat accounts for a third of
total food and drink exports - worth £110 million.
Farmers and food producers can begin exporting as soon as
the administrative listing process is completed.
