China allows imports of pig origin protein feed, offal from France

China will allow imports of pig origin protein feed and pork offal from France effective immediately, according to statements from Chinese customs and the French farm ministry.

China will allow imports of pig origin protein feed and pork offal from France effective immediately, according to statements from Chinese customs and the French farm ministry. The announcements follow a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, on Xi's first visit to Europe in five years.

China will allow imports of pig origin protein feed that met relevant requirements, the customs office said in a statement. Pork offal will also be included in the list of pork products that France will be able to export to China, according to the French farm ministry.

"Two market access agreements, signed with the Chinese customs administration, make it possible to open the Chinese market to new French products: pork offal, thanks to an amendment to the protocol for the export of pork meat, as well as processed proteins pork," the French farm ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. China is the largest pork export market for France.

Last year, China's agriculture ministry issued a three-year action plan to reduce soymeal use in animal feed in a move to reduce its heavy reliance on soybean imports. It also approved the import of French dairy products for animal feed use last year. French pork producers on Tuesday welcomed the offal agreement, which they say should boost pork exports by 10%.

"This is a real victory for the entire French pork industry since this agreement will have an immediate effect on exports," French Pork Interprofessional Association Inaporc and Culture Viande said in a statement. In 2023 French pork exports to China amounted to 260 million euros ($279.68 million), they said.

Pork products exported to China, including stomachs and intestines, are under-consumed in Europe but very popular in China.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)