Agriculture Ministry: Romania may export frozen pork to China

Romania may begin the export of frozen pork to China, after pork producer Smithfield Romania has received the approval to be registered in the country in question, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) informed.

Photo credit: (c) Vlad STAVRICA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Until the start of exports, the company must list on the website of China's Sanitary Veterinary Authority.

"On March 16, 2015, Romania received the official letter from China's State Administration for Supervision of Certification and Accreditation which notified the Romanian side about the approval of the registration in China of the first pork-producing company from Romania, Smithfield Romania SA. Thus, after the listing on the website of China's Sanitary Veterinary Authority, the export of frozen pork to China may begin," reads a MADR release.

According to Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin, China's decision to import pork from Romania is a great achievement for the Romanian economy, given that the Romanian authorities have taken steps in this regard as early as 2012.

The MARD recalls the fact that the relevant ministry and the food safety watchdog ANSVSA substantially cooperated with their relevant Chinese institutions in 2012 and 2013, which materialized in the signing, on June 6, 2014, of a Memorandum of Understanding on animal health and food safety.

The document was signed by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Daniel Constantin and his Chinese counterpart, Han Changfu, on the occasion of Chinese dignitary's visit to Romania.

The Memorandum represents a document clarifying technical aspects on the Romanian-Chinese cooperation in the sanitary-veterinary field, food safety, control and inspection on meat and meat...