TIANJIN, Jan. 19 (INP):  500 kilograms of frozen boiled beef from Pakistan passed the territorial inspection of Tianjin Customs and entered the Chinese market, being the first batch of cooked beef imported by China from Pakistan. In recent years, cooperation between China and Pakistan in various fields has been continuously strengthened. Since last year, both sides have signed protocols on the export of Pakistani cooked beef and dried chili peppers to China, achieved access to Pakistani fresh cherries to China, and reached an agreement on the export of Pakistani dairy products and animal skins to China.  An increasing number of Pakistani products of high quality and qualified companies are entering the Chinese market, Gwadar Pro reported on Friday.

In 2022, global beef consumption reached 56.961 million tons, with China’s beef consumption reaching 9.87 million tons, accounting for 17% of the total.  In contrast, Pakistan only contributes .5% to the world’s beef consumption. According to a report released by China Animal Agriculture Association, China’s beef consumption is projected to continue increasing until 2025.  It is expected that by 2035, China’s beef consumption will reach 14 million tons, with a projected gap of more than 3 million tons.

“We learned through the import access list published by the General Administration of Customs that Pakistani cooked beef has recently gained access.  After contacting Pakistan Organic Meat Company Limited through the online platform, we learned more about their product, then signed a cooperation agreement,” Ma Weilong, General Manager of Tianjin Longing International Logistics Co., Ltd., which imported the goods, told the reporter of Gwadar Pro. “Pakistan is a viable export partner of China due to its proximity and logistics advantages. We are also the cheapest nation in providing goods to the world. 

The quality and price of Pakistan’s beef are far superior to those of many other countries,” CEO of Organic Meat said. Pakistani heat-treated beef that is allowed to be imported refers to meat products that are made from boneless skeletal muscle of cattle under 30 months of age, which are pre-boned and fat-removed and then heated to an internal core temperature of above 70℃ for at least 30 minutes.

“It only took less than one day from pick-up at the port to customs clearance, which greatly saved customs clearance costs and allowed imported food to be put on domestic shelves for sale as soon as possible,” said Liu Haizhou, deputy general manager of Longing.

“Beijing and Tianjin Customs attach great importance to this batch of goods. They greatly improve customs clearance efficiency through the application of automated electronic customs declaration and inspection technology,” Ma added, “This is the first time we have cooperated with a Pakistani partner. In the future, Longing will have more in-depth trade cooperation with Pakistani cooked beef factories.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China