Representatives from the British Pig Executive (BPEX), English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) and DEFRA are visiting non-EU countries to reinstate meat and livestock protocols and open new markets.
The OIE, an intergovernmental organisation for animal health, is recognised by Third Countries. Trade within the EU has already re-started.
BPEX and EBLEX export manager Jean-Pierre Garnier said: "Third Country exports are as varied as meat, offal, hides, casings and generics and their value is more than £70m per year".
In a joint press release the BPEX and EBLEX said "the hard work gets under way now restoring lost markets out side the EU and a joint programme targeting 24 countries has been drawn up by BPEX, EBLEX and DEFRA".
BREX Chairman Stewart Houston said: "Exports are vital if we are to have a sustainable British pig industry and we will be working extremely hard not only to regain lost markets but also to open new ones such as China".
EBLEX Chairman John Cross added: "This is welcome news for the beef and lamb sectors and provides our exporters with the opportunity to develop commercial relationships in countries outside the EU."
Peter Hardwick, International Manager at the Meat and Livestock Commission confirmed to FoodProductionDaily.com that the BPEX, EBLEX and DEFRA programme has already started.
He explained that some non-EU countries such as the United States are willing to accept the OIE declaration and re-instate trade quickly. However this is not always the case and representatives, including a DEFRA vet, are now visiting designated key market countries to re-negotiate trading terms. This can be quite a lengthy procedure, but the personal visits can help short the time scale.
At the end of last week representatives were in Russia and the Ukraine. Today they are in South Africa. Between 12 - 19 March, representatives from the British Pig Executive and DEFRA will be visiting Japan, Korea and China.
In established markets such as Japan and Korea the visits might also include seminars for active buyers and formal meetings with contacts.
At the moment there is no protocol for meat with China. One was agreed in principal during a recent visit there by the Prime Minsiter and it is hoped to ratify this on March 18.
The OIE website confirms that the Scientific Commission "recognises that as from 19 February 2008 the United Kingdom has regained its FMD-free status without vaccination". The Scientific Commission had evaluated documentation concerning the control of foot and mouth disease in the UK following the outbreak of FMD in Surrey in August 2007.
The August outbreak started at the Pirbright Institute of Animal Health (a foot and mouth testing facility) and there was a second outbreak in September, 11 miles away from there.
Foot and Mouth is one of the most contagious diseases of mammals, affecting cloven-hoofed animals, and has a great potential for causing economic loss.
An FMD outbreak in the UK in 2001 saw five million sheep, 764,000 cattle and 435,000 pigs and goats slaughtered. Beef processors were only allowed to resume trading in 2006, five years after the FMD outbreak.
