On May 25th a seminar was held in Warsaw on the topic of establishing the base for poultry meat trade on Asian markets in Hong Kong. The meeting was held as a part of the “Poultry with a European passport”  campaign initiated by the National Poultry Council.

The producers and exporters of poultry meat from the European Union, including Poland, were the targeted audience of the seminar. The experts in the fields of veterinary medicine and trade presented during the meeting. Among them were Paweł Meyer, the deputy Chief veterinarian, and Anna Dowgiałło from the Warsaw Hongkong Trade Development Council office.

The main goal of the seminar was to explore the state of affairs concerning the importation of European poultry in terms of market, veterinary, and phytosanitary issues. The prospect of increasing the importation of EU poultry in connection with the access of Hong Kong to the Greater Bay Area was also discussed. The Greater Bay Area is a term referring to an integrated trade area encompassing nine cities (megapolis) and two regions in South China. Currently, the area is still in the construction phase. It is estimated to be finished by 2030.

Dariusz Goszczyński, the president of the National Poultry Council – Chamber of Commerce, explained the foundations of the “Poultry with a European passport” campaign and presented the audience with the advantages of the European and Polish poultry industry.

“Our goal is to increase the sales of European poultry on our targeted markets but also to introduce the recipients to the high quality and standards of poultry meat production that are enforced throughout the European Union. The high quality of meat is linked to its price, therefore the customers of that market must be informed on this matter”, he stated.

Dr. Gloria Lai Fan Tam, the expert and the Food Import to China and Hong Kong advisor, the former Hong Kong Government Plenipotentiary for Food Safety and consultant to the General Chamber of Commerce of Mainland China and China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association spoke of Hong Kong’s import and consumption potential. She also pointed out that European poultry products are held in high value by both the local markets and customers.

“Poland has been in the process of exporting poultry meat to Hong Kong for only a few years, but the product is already held in high regard. You are very well. Poland ranks in 5th place among the importers, preceded by France which has been on the market for a long time. Polish goose meat is appreciated in particular, especially in the Guangdong province. This area is widely known for high goose meat consumption and Polish product is regarded as the best on the market there. Our customers have great reliance on and trust for Polish food products. They are aware the meat is produced within the European Union, which means that the producers are obliged to uphold specified standards. Apart from that, the taste and the general quality of Polish poultry meat are preferred here over the products from the USA and Brazil”, she explained.

As Dr. Gloria Lai Fan Tam pointed out, the Greater Bay Area will become the source of new opportunities for exporters in the future. It is expected to grow into the global hub of innovation, technology, and industry. It will also be the place to improve the quality of life. As for the poultry meat market, sanitary and veterinary issues will be crucial. As the Hong Kong expert reminded, China currently upholds the limitations of poultry meat import. The main aim of those limitations is to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as avian influenza.

“It is for that reason that it is not likely for the Hong Kong government to open the borders for poultry meat soon. Nevertheless, we are well aware that pilot re-entry programs in Poland and other countries upholding similar restrictions may appear. The resumption to the market is negotiable on the condition of keeping the avian influenza under control. There were reports of similar virulent disease in 1997 and 2014 and we were able to manage the situation stage after stage.

The “Poultry with a European passport” campaign is a communication and promotion program led on the markets in China, Hong Kong, and Japan. It is addressed mainly to entrepreneurs from the meat sector: direct importers, distributors, and processors of poultry meat, wholesalers, distribution networks and the HoReCa industry, chefs, representatives of organizations, and institutions responsible for food import. The program was resumed in December 2022, after a year pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The activities within the program include the participation of the National Poultry Council – Chamber of Commerce in large trade events such as HKTDC Food Expo, Supermarket Trade Show, and SIAL China; publishing specialized guides for the exporters; organizing seminars with the participation of the experts of targeted countries; making study visits and holding meetings with local importers and business organizations. During the campaign, the culinary shows will be also held to promote European and Polish poultry meat during the events involving Chinese and Japanese entrepreneurs.

The “Poultry with a European passport” campaign is organized by the National Poultry Council – Chamber of Commerce. It is an organization that unites over 80 poultry meat and feathers producers from all over the European Union. The members of KRD-IG hold over 70% of shares in the domestic market and 90% of shares in exports.