Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agrifood Gerry Ritz has said theVietnamese market held great potential for the import of high-quality,flavourful Canadian beef.
"Canadian production and processingstandards have been rigorously designed to ensure health and safety ofour beef products. Our top priority is to make sure our customers alwaysreceive wholesome, top-quality beef,” Canadian Minister Ritz told apress conference in HCM City on March 17.
Ritz is leading anagricultural trade mission to Vietnam, the Republic of Korea and Japanto promote a variety of Canadian agricultural products, including safe,high-quality beef.
Last year, Canada's beef industry had total export value of over 1.9 billion USD.
Asia has become one of its priority markets, with Vietnam ranked as a market with high potential, he said.
JackHextall, Chairman of Canada Beef, which is responsible for domestic andinternational beef and veal market development, said that Canada is aworld leader in feed-grain production, including barley, wheat and corn.
RobMeijer, President of Canada Beef, said initially Canada's organisationand businesses will work with the food services segment and retailers inVietnam to promote products as well as study customers' tastes.
Canada is committed to serving the needs of the Vietnamese market and to supplying safe, high-quality food products, Ritz said.
TheAnimal Husbandry Association of Vietnam said the number of cows raisedin Vietnam had fallen from 6.7 million in 2007 to 5.23 million headslast year.
Domestic cow production meets only 75-76 percent of local demand.
Tosatisfy demand, the country had to import a large volume of beef andcows from other countries, Nguyen Dang Vang, the Association's Chairman,said.
Cow and beef imports in recent years have increasedstrongly, with more than 250,000 live cows and 26,000 tonnes of beef andbuffalo meat imported last year.
Demand for beef is expected toincrease while there will be few changes in production since the countrydoes not have advantageous conditions for raising cows on large-scalefarms.
The country expects to import a similar volume of live cows and beef this year to satisfy domestic consumption.
The event was organised by the Canada Beef International Institute and the Embassy of Canada in Vietnam.-VNA
"Canadian production and processingstandards have been rigorously designed to ensure health and safety ofour beef products. Our top priority is to make sure our customers alwaysreceive wholesome, top-quality beef,” Canadian Minister Ritz told apress conference in HCM City on March 17.
Ritz is leading anagricultural trade mission to Vietnam, the Republic of Korea and Japanto promote a variety of Canadian agricultural products, including safe,high-quality beef.
Last year, Canada's beef industry had total export value of over 1.9 billion USD.
Asia has become one of its priority markets, with Vietnam ranked as a market with high potential, he said.
JackHextall, Chairman of Canada Beef, which is responsible for domestic andinternational beef and veal market development, said that Canada is aworld leader in feed-grain production, including barley, wheat and corn.
RobMeijer, President of Canada Beef, said initially Canada's organisationand businesses will work with the food services segment and retailers inVietnam to promote products as well as study customers' tastes.
Canada is committed to serving the needs of the Vietnamese market and to supplying safe, high-quality food products, Ritz said.
TheAnimal Husbandry Association of Vietnam said the number of cows raisedin Vietnam had fallen from 6.7 million in 2007 to 5.23 million headslast year.
Domestic cow production meets only 75-76 percent of local demand.
Tosatisfy demand, the country had to import a large volume of beef andcows from other countries, Nguyen Dang Vang, the Association's Chairman,said.
Cow and beef imports in recent years have increasedstrongly, with more than 250,000 live cows and 26,000 tonnes of beef andbuffalo meat imported last year.
Demand for beef is expected toincrease while there will be few changes in production since the countrydoes not have advantageous conditions for raising cows on large-scalefarms.
The country expects to import a similar volume of live cows and beef this year to satisfy domestic consumption.
The event was organised by the Canada Beef International Institute and the Embassy of Canada in Vietnam.-VNA
