China is no longer accepting meat shipments from Canada.

Media reports state the Chinese Embassy claims the issue stems from the detection of ractopamine in a batch of Canadian pork products. The feed additive is banned in China.

The Chinese Embassy states that the veterinary health certificate associated with the shipment was counterfeit and that there was up to 188 counterfeit certificates found.

It was also reported that the Canadian government was looking into the matter and had informed the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

The following is a statement from the Canadian Pork Council:

Canadian pork producers were informed today that China will no longer be accepting Canadian pork products due to concerns regarding the validity of an export certificate.

As a result, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has stopped issuing export certificates to China for all pork and beef products as of June 25, 2019. This halt in Canadian exports is not the result of a food safety concern but the misuse of Canada’s reputation as a supplier of safe quality products.

China is a very important market for Canadian producers. In 2018, Canada’s pork exports were valued at almost $4 billion, of which $514 million was exported to China it is our third-largest export market. Sales in 2019 have increased by 50% over 2018 levels and this increased demand was reflected in higher prices for live hogs.

The Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Meat Council, and Canada Pork International are working closely with government officials to better understand the situation and identify potential next steps.

We are aware that Canadian government officials have been in contact with their Chinese counterparts and are hopeful this will lead to a quick resolution. Demand for pork products remains strong in China and Canada producers look forward to having the opportunity to continue to meet the needs of our Chinese customers.