www.chinaview.cn
Sep 02,2009
China Animal Agriculture Association has appealed to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), claiming the large volume of U.S. broiler meat imports and their comparatively lower prices have disrupted the Chinese poultry market, reported Wednesday's China Daily.
The association, representing 20 large-scale broiler meat companies whose annual output accounts for more than 50 percent of the total, is worried losing market share to the U.S..
The government is considering whether to launch trade remedy measures against imports of broiler meat from the United States, the largest broiler exporter to China, said the newspaper.
The proposal, if enacted, will be the first trade remedy deal that China has launched in the agriculture industry and will seriously reduce the U.S. broiler exports, according to the newspaper.
It comes at a critical time with China and the U.S. embroiled in a row over possible tariffs imposed on some Chinese made tires.
On Thursday, the United States Trade Representative is expected to submit the final proposal to American President Barack Obama on the issue. He will make a final decision in 15 days. China is expected to take retaliatory measures if Obama agrees to the tariffs.
The U.S. is the largest broiler producer worldwide, followed by Brazil and China, and the nation is also the largest exporter to China. In 2008, the U.S. sold 584,300 tonnes of broiler meat to the Chinese market, accounting for 20 percent of its exports.
From 2006 to 2008, the broiler imports from the U.S. accounted for 68, 66 and 73 percent of the total Chinese broiler imports. The figure jumped to 89 percent during the first half of this year.
In 2008, China's broiler meat was priced at an average of 10,482 yuan (1497 U.S. dollars) per tonne. It was 9,823 yuan per tonne for the U.S. product over the same period, 659 yuan lower.
The American Chamber of Commerce China refused to comment in detail on the issue, said the newspaper.