The EU-Canada Comprehensive Trade Agreement (CETA) agreement will remove tariffs on Scotch Beef and Lamb that are imported into Canada, which had been previously charged at 26%.

This meant that while the market has been open since the lifting of the BSE ban in 2015, the extra 26% cost made doing business uneconomic.

Scotch beef and Scotch lamb featured prominently on the Scottish Development International (SDI) stand at the SIAL food show in Toronto in May this year, which was attended by 60,000 buyers, mainly from the USA and Canada.

QMS cooked and provided samples of Scotch Beef and Lamb to visitors from product supplied by the Highland Meats and Donald Russell.

A significant importer

Canada is a significant importer of beef, taking 109,000 tonnes this year, up until 12 August. The USA is by far the largest supplier, sending 75,600t of this. New Zealand and Australia follow, on 11,300t and 10,700t respectively. Uruguay sent 7,400t and Mexico 1,600t. The EU, despite tariffs of 26% sent 1,100t.

Canadian lamb import volumes are low compared to beef. In 2016, they amounted to 16,019 tonnes with New Zealand and Australia dominating the market. New Zealand sent 8,342t, while Australia sent 7,243t.