The Government has announced that UK producers now have access to Japan to export poultry meat, in an agreement estimated to be worth up to £13 million per year.
Negotiations between the UK and Japan, the world's third largest economy, have been taking place over the last four years to agree specific animal health requirements.
Food minister Victoria Prentis said: "Our high-quality poultry with its exceptional flavour is renowned around the world, as are the high standards of food safety and animal welfare demonstrated by farmers and producers across the UK.
"The Japanese market will now be able to enjoy more of our unique produce, adding to an already varied collection of UK food, such as pork, beef and lamb, already available to its customers.
"We are working hard to open new markets for our agri-food businesses, and this is a significant opportunity for the UK poultry sector."
Dr Richard Irvine, UK deputy chief veterinary officer, commented: "This represents a major achievement for the UK poultry meat industry, providing UK exporters with the opportunity to further tap into the overseas demand for their poultry meat.
"This is another positive step towards strengthening the UK’s trade relationship with Japan, in addition to the existing agreements which enable export of pork, beef and lamb from the UK."
'New opportunities'
Katie Doherty, CEO of the International Meat Trade Association (IMTA), said she was "delighted" at the news.
"The announcement means that IMTA members and other UK exporters can take advantage of the tariff reductions granted by the UK-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement," she said. "The agreement reduces tariffs on frozen chicken cuts from an average of 10% to zero over a number of years.
"Without the market access Defra has negotiated, UK exporters would not have been able to benefit from these tariff reductions which the government worked to secure."
Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, also welcomed the agreement.
"Our industry has worked closely with Government to open doors and create new opportunities for British poultry meat businesses that produce safe, affordable and nutritious food to world-class standards. We look forward to carrying on pursuing new markets to continue putting UK poultry meat on every table around the world."
In October 2020, the UK and Japan signed the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and the agreement is now in force.
The agreement of Animal Health Requirements (AHR) between Defra and the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (JMAFF) for export of both fresh and cooked poultry meat was concluded in April 2021.
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