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Southeast Asia trade frameworks could significantly increase demand for U.S. pork

The vice president of government affairs with the National Pork Producers Council says the U.S. pork industry stands to benefit from a flurry of new trade frameworks in southeast Asia.

Maria Zieba says agreements with several countries remove long-standing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers.

“Malaysia went above and beyond.”  She says, “All plants are going to be eligible for export. Before this agreement, we only had about six plants that are eligible to export. It laid the groundwork for some of these other agreements, including with Taiwan and Indonesia.”

She tells Brownfield that the improved access to Taiwan alone is a big win.

“We should have tariffs that are cut in half.”  She says, “We would have better market access than the Europeans and the Canadians.”

She says expanding the reach of U.S. pork into Indonesia should also benefit producers.

“Their population is the size of Australia.”  She says, “Even if you get 10% of that, it is quite significant for U.S. pork.”

Zieba says the agreements have the potential to greatly expand pork demand in the region, especially for offal, or cuts not typically consumed domestically.

AUDIO: Maria Zieba – NPPC