APEC meeting yields partnerships with China, India, Japan

Oct. 7, 2014, New Delhi, India – During a recent APEC forum in China and
and trip to India aimed at strengthening long-term
relationships and developing partnerships, agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced Canada signed an organic equivalency
arrangement with Japan.

Oct. 7, 2014, New Delhi, India – During a recent APEC forum in China and
and trip to India aimed at strengthening long-term
relationships and developing partnerships, agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced Canada signed an organic equivalency
arrangement with Japan.

Minister Ritz met with China's minister of agriculture Han Changfu to secure permanent access for Canadian live
cattle valued by industry at $150 million annually once fully
implemented. Ongoing work with China is anticipated to
result in access for fresh Canadian cherries, valued by industry at $20
million annually, and for Canadian blueberries, valued by industry at up
to $65 million annually once fully implemented, the ministry said in a media statement.

In China, Ritz
delivered a speech at the third Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Ministerial Meeting on Food Security in Beijing. In his speech, he
advocated the importance of open trade and strong co-operation on
biotechnology, including resolving the issue of low-level presence of
genetically modified content in shipments for export, to increase food
production and availability.

On the margins of the APEC forum,
Minister Ritz announced that Canada has signed a new organic equivalency
arrangement with Japan. Coming into effect Jan. 1, 2015, the
arrangement recognizes the organic production and certification systems
in each country, making it easier to sell organic products in either
country presenting new opportunities for Canadian producers and
processors. Industry estimates that this arrangement will enable
Canadian organics exports to Japan to reach $20 million annually within
the next five years. He also took the opportunity to meet with
Malaysia's agriculture minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Indonesia's
Agriculture Minister Suswono to discuss market access priorities.

In
India, Minister Ritz met for the first time with newly elected
ministers, including minister of agriculture Shri Radha Mohan Singh, to
establish working relationships and strengthen Canada's position as a
key partner in India's modernization of its agriculture sector. Minister
Ritz met with minister of state for commerce and industry Nirmala
Sitharaman to emphasize the importance of ambitious outcomes on
agriculture in the Canada-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement negotiations.

Minister Ritz met for the first time with
India's minister of food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal, as
well as with India's minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan to press for the identification of
high-quality Canadian canola oil on consumer labels and to promote
Canadian pulses and Canadian capabilities in grain handling, logistics
and storage systems. Minister Ritz also met with Sukhbir Singh Badal, deputy chief minister of the Punjab cabinet.

As a result of the
Minister's ongoing collaboration with India, agreement has been reached
securing market access for Canadian bulls to India for breeding
purposes. This access will provide an industry estimated $9.6 million in
new export opportunities over the next three years for Canadian cattle
producers, while increasing the genetic quality of India's herd.