Finland Times

 

File Photo LEHTIKUVA.

The Finnish efforts to promote pork exports in the Chinese markets took a decisive step listing a Finnish company as an exporter, said a press release of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. 

 

The Chinese authority that inspects companies aiming for the Chinese markets declared that it has included the Finnish company Atria in its public list. 

 

The listing means that Atria has now been approved as an exporter to the Chinese market. The approval is yet to be confirmed by the Chinese authority.

 

Minister of Agriculture and the Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen considers this as a very important decision.

 

“This is by far the best news for the Finnish meat production for a long time. The producer price for Finnish pigmeat is the lowest within the EU. It gives the much needed faith in the future to our pigmeat producers. It is an important step in the Government effort to find new export markets to Finnish foodstuffs and, through this, to improve the food trade balance,” said Tiilikainen.

 

Permanent Secretary Jaana Husu-Kallio, who negotiated the matter with the Chinese authorities on several occasions, points out that the decision is based on the good, long-term cooperation between the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Chinese authorities. 

 

The high level of expertise at Evira and the additional resources allocated to its work also contributed to the decision in a significant way.

 

“In the future we will have even more and closer cooperation with China, which will allow us to promote exports in other sectors as well. Exports will also be boosted by other types of collaboration between the authorities, including the introduction of electronic export certificates,” said Husu-Kallio.