Following bilateral talks in Shanghai, a statement from the Hungarian ministry of agriculture said that, as the negative effects of avian influenza outbreaks in Hungary could be considered over, local poultry industry players might be able to increase their exports to the Chinese market.
The two ministers took part in the Hungarian-Chinese Business Forum. The event accompanied the official visit of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban to China, during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and took part in the first edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE).
Talks on relaunching pig meat exports
During the official visit, Nagy also met with Wang Lingjun, the vice-minister and deputy customs commissioner-general at the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC). The Hungarian minister said further matters to be discussed by government officials from both countries included resuming exports of Hungarian pig meat to the Chinese market that were halted amid fears surrounding African swine fever (ASF), according to the statement.
Last May, China’s GACC and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released a joint announcement in which the institutions stated: “On 23 April, the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary reported to [the World Organisation for Animal Health] urgently that a case of African swine fever in wild boar was found in Heves, Hungary on 20 April. In order to protect the safety of animal husbandry in China and prevent the introduction of the epidemic … [it] is forbidden to import pigs, wild boars and related products directly or indirectly from Hungary (products made of pigs or wild boars that have not been processed or processed products that may still spread the disease).”
The administrative decision entered into force on the day of its issuance, the two institutions said.
Hungarian meat sales to Asia to rise
On a related note, the cabinet office has also announced that additional Hungarian meat industry players will be enabled to export their products to Singapore, according to Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto. The minister said that, under an agreement reached with the Singaporean authorities, a further five Hungary-based businesses will be able to launch exports to the country, joining the 18 Hungarian meat industry players that already hold the necessary export licences to sell their products to the market.
Szijjarto said that, in addition to exports of poultry meat, including duck and goose, the companies would be able to supply beef and rabbit meat to customers in Singapore. The demand for Hungarian Mangalica pork is also increasing in the Singaporean market, he added.