17 Oct 2013

ANZCO says its biggest problem in China is market access

7:02 am on 17 October 2013

ANZCO Foods chairman says his company's biggest problem in doing business in China is market access.

Speaking at a conference on doing business in China, Sir Graeme Harrison said the meat company has struck great difficulties getting its plants certified so it can export value-added products to China.

He described the process of getting New Zealand export plants listed in China by the Chinese organisation AQSIQ (which stands for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) as tortuous.

Sir Graeme said it took AQSIQ four years to list one approved ANZCO plant.

He said only five of ANZCO's New Zealand sites are listed by AQSIQ and two of the company's best plants have been waiting since 2011.

Sir Graeme said there are 17 New Zealand meat industry Ministry for Primary Industries - China certified facilities waiting to be listed.

"ANZCO Foods is New Zealand's largest chilled beef exporter, yet we sent just one tonne in this form into China in the past year, chilled imports are currently prohibited, as are most beef and sheep meat offals."

Sir Graeme said despite these access problems, China is already New Zealand's largest sheep meat market and its third largest beef market.