British meat exports have gained a boost after the Philippines lifted its ban on UK beef and poultry.
The removal of two key trade barriers on poultry and beef will bring an estimated £80m in sales over the next five years, according to Defra.
The Philippine government had lifted its ban on British poultry in September last year in what was described as a “pivotal moment”, as the Asian nation is not only one of the region’s fastest-growing economies but already a top export market for popular UK meats such as pork.
Beef is now also “back on the menu” thanks to the lifting of a temporary ban on beef imports by the Philippines, announced the UK government, which is this week holding trade talks with the country’s ministers as part of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).
Labour minister for trade policy and economic security Douglas Alexander said: “The lifting of bans on UK poultry and beef exports is great news for our world-class agricultural industry which can once again sell these products to the Philippines, which has a population of 112 million.”
The ongoing trade talks are “an important new chapter and will deepen our trade with the Philippines, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, as we continue this government’s mission to grow the economy”, he added.
The poultry and beef bans last year were prompted by cases of mad cow disease and bird flu found in Britain.
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Prior to the ban on UK poultry, Britain was the sixth-largest source of poultry imports to the Philippines, exporting an average of six thousand tons of poultry meat and products to the island nation each year from 2018 to 2023.
The UK meat sector has welcomed the recent lifting of trade barriers, with the International Meat Trade Association (IMTA) saying in a statement: “We were delighted that last year the Philippines lifted the ban on UK poultrymeat, as well as lifting the temporary ban on UK beef.
“The poultry regionalisation agreement reached with the Philippines has been vital to keeping trade flowing. The Philippines is a key market for UK meat exports, with a variety of products setting sail for Manila.
“We hope the trade partnership between our countries can continue to grow from strength to strength.”
The JETCO talks, in which minister Alexander met with Philippine Department of Trade and Industry undersecretary Allan B Gepty, aim to further upgrade the bilateral trade relationship currently worth £2.8bn.
Ministers are also expected to agree to continue collaboration across issues such as animal disease detection and antimicrobial resistance, as well as new opportunities in precision breeding and genetics.
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