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Concerns increase over market access to Japan

The 11 remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership recently announced plans to move forward with a modified trade agreement without the US.

US Meat Export Federation economist Erin Borror says if that agreement is implemented it would create market access problems for US beef and pork in Japan.

Japan is currently the largest export market for US beef.  “We pay higher tariffs in Japan than any other significant market,” she says.  “We have the most to gain and we have the most at stake as we see Australia, Mexico, and Chile already benefiting from lower tariffs through their respective partnership agreements with Japan.”

She says US pork would also be put at a competitive disadvantage.  “Tariffs are eliminated on processed pork products,” she says.  “That market has never been opened in any existing bilateral agreement – so it is a huge breakthrough.  Canada is our biggest competitor as we supply similar products into the Japanese market and they are by far our biggest competitor on chilled pork.

And, Borror says, Mexico and Chile already have reduced tariffs for pork from agreements that are already in place.

She says US pork is the only major supplier to Japan that will not see a reduction in tariffs.

President Trump withdrew from TPP trade negotiations in January.