China’s customs authority significantly increased its rejections of imported meat in 2024, with the number of rejected shipments more than tripling compared to previous years. This surge has raised questions about whether there were genuine issues with the meat shipments or if the rejections were a strategic effort to support domestic meat producers.

According to monthly reports from the Chinese customs website, a total of 778 shipments of beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and deer meat were turned away at the border last year. This figure is a stark contrast to previous years, where the number of rejections never exceeded 300 since the customs administration took over inspections in 2018.

The increase in rejections was observed across all types of meat, with beef and pork seeing the most significant spikes. Beef rejections soared to 435 shipments, up from the usual 60 to 80, while pork rejections rose to 186 from the previous range of 40 to 70. Chicken rejections saw a smaller increase, from 86 to 112 shipments, and lamb rejections, though fewer in number, have been steadily rising, reaching 43 last year.

Despite the high number of rejections, the total weight of the rejected shipments was 5,633 metric tons, which is just 0.08% of China’s total meat imports of 6.7 million metric tons in 2024. Pork shipments made up about half of the rejected weight, with most containers ranging from 20 to 27 metric tons, while beef shipments were generally smaller, often between 10 to 1,000 kilograms.

China’s rejections affected meat imports from numerous countries. Australia faced the highest number of beef rejections with 144 shipments, while Denmark had the most pork rejections at 101 shipments. Brazil led in chicken rejections, and New Zealand accounted for more than half of the rejected lamb shipments.

Notable increases in rejections were seen for imports from Australia, the European Union, Brazil, Argentina, and the USA. The United States had 43 beef, 37 pork, and 17 chicken shipments rejected.

Denmark’s pork rejections were particularly striking, as nearly all came from a prominent company, marking a significant increase from just 10 rejections over the previous five years.

This surge in rejections has impacted all leading meat companies in Europe, North America, and South America, highlighting the stringent measures China has adopted in its import inspections.

Original story by Dim Sums

In a significant operation, Greater Manchester Police have arrested three individuals following a raid at an abattoir in Stockport.

The raid, which took place on Thursday, was part of a coordinated effort that also saw a simultaneous warrant executed at a residential property on Merlin Road in Blackburn, Lancashire.

Among those arrested were a man and a woman, both in their 30s, who were detained on suspicion of human trafficking and offences related to slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour. Additionally, another man in his 30s was apprehended at the abattoir after attempting to evade police by fleeing the site and hiding on a nearby roof. GMP confirmed that the man, an Albanian national, was living and working illegally in the UK and is now being processed by Home Office immigration teams.

The operation was prompted by allegations from a man who claimed he was forced to live in the abattoir and work around the clock to repay “extortionate debts” linked to a sponsorship visa and travel expenses. During the late-night raid, officers interviewed 30 workers on-site and seized mobile phones, computer equipment, and documentation as part of their ongoing investigation.

Detective Sergeant Lee Attenborough highlighted the prevalence of modern slavery in Greater Manchester and urged victims or those who suspect someone they know might be affected to come forward. “You will always be taken seriously, and protection and support are available,” he assured.

The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the alleged human trafficking and forced labour activities.

BBC News 

Danish Crown, the Denmark-based pork processing giant, has announced its decision to sell its facility in Pinghu, China.

This move comes as part of a broader strategic shift within the company. A spokesperson confirmed the sale to Just Food, noting that the Pinghu factory represents a very small part of Danish Crown’s business and did not develop as expected.

The decision to divest the China facility was made by Niels Duedahl, who took over as CEO last August. Duedahl succeeded Jais Valeur, who stepped down as chief executive earlier than anticipated in June.

This announcement follows Danish Crown’s recent decision to cease selling retail-packed fresh meat in Germany, a move aimed at improving profitability. As a result, the Oldenburg Convenience division in north-west Germany will be wound down by the end of February.

In its 2023/2024 report, Danish Crown described the past year as one marked by significant market and geopolitical changes that impacted its operations. Looking ahead to the financial year 2024/25, the company expects a continued decrease in slaughter animal production across Europe.

Although the pace of decline slowed in 2023/24, the downward trend remains challenging and may affect Danish Crown’s supply chain and pricing strategies. The number of slaughtered animals in Northern Europe has decreased substantially, further complicating the company’s outlook.

 

The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) has welcomed the UK government’s AI initiative, calling for the increased use of artificial intelligence within meat inspection processes.

In a statement, Executive Director Dr Jason Aldiss BEM highlighted the potential for AI to revolutionise the industry, stating: “This initiative presents a crucial opportunity to modernise meat inspection, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.”

AIMS advocates for a shift in the role of meat inspection, focusing on quality assurance rather than solely on food safety. Dr Aldiss explained: “We believe that food business operators should be primarily responsible for conducting these inspections.” He further argued that AI-driven systems can facilitate this transition by replacing traditional human veterinary inspections with more efficient and reliable technologies.

“Recent advancements in AI have demonstrated superior accuracy in identifying defects on carcasses compared to human inspectors,” Dr Aldiss emphasised. “This technology offers the potential to significantly reduce the margin of error inherent in manual inspections.”

AIMS believes that the government’s AI strategy aligns with its vision for the future of the meat industry. By embracing AI, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) can implement more effective and efficient inspection systems, reducing reliance on human inspectors and empowering food businesses to oversee quality assurance directly.

“We urge the FSA and FSS to seriously consider the benefits of AI integration in meat inspection,” Dr Aldiss concluded. “Implementing AI-driven systems will not only enhance the accuracy and efficiency of inspections but also position the UK as a leader in adopting innovative technologies within the food industry.”

AIMS remains committed to supporting the industry through this transition, advocating for policies that promote technological advancement and operational autonomy for food business operators.

Seoul, South Korea – The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has announced an import ban on German pork following the confirmation of a highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Germany.

This is Germany’s first FMD case since 1988.

FMD is a highly infectious disease that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and pigs, posing a significant threat to livestock populations. In response to the outbreak, the ministry has initiated FMD virus tests on all German pork products imported into South Korea since December 27th.

Approximately 360 tons of German pork, imported between October 26th and November 17th, are currently awaiting quarantine inspection. The ministry stated that it will proceed with clearance procedures for these products through the normal process, as the maximum latent period for the FMD virus is 14 days.

This import ban aims to prevent the introduction of FMD into South Korea and protect the country’s livestock industry. The ministry emphasized the importance of this measure to safeguard the health of domestic livestock and ensure the stability of the agricultural sector.

YONHAP NEWS AGENCY

The National Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) has confirmed an infection with the FMD virus in a water buffalo in Märkisch-Oderland, Brandenburg.

The local authorities have taken control and protection measures. Further tests are being carried out at the FLI to determine the exact nature of the virus. An FLI team is supporting the outbreak investigation on the ground. FMD is a purely animal disease and cannot be transmitted to humans, i.e. it is not a zoonosis.

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). Many zoo and wild animals can also contract FMD. There are very strict international rules for the prevention and control of FMD. There is no treatment for infected animals. If even one animal on a farm is infected, all ungulates must be killed and destroyed.

The last outbreak of FMD in Germany was in Lower Saxony in 1988. The last outbreak in Europe was reported in Bulgaria in 2011. Prior to that, the United Kingdom was hit by a major FMD outbreak in 2001, followed by France, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The FMD virus remains endemic in Turkey, the Middle East and Africa, many Asian countries and parts of South America. Illegally imported animal products from these countries pose a constant threat to European agriculture.

FLI

Tibshelf, Derbyshire: A well-established family-run butcher has been forced to close its doors after 30 years in business, resulting in the redundancy of all 34 employees.

Price and Fretwell, an award-winning supplier of meat to restaurants, hotels, and educational institutions across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, appointed liquidators on December 30th.

The company, known for its high-quality lamb, chicken, and aged beef, had faced significant challenges, including the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The company has ceased trading partially due to the knock-on effects of COVID-19,” stated the administrators in a report published by The Business Desk.

Originally based in Blackwell, Price and Fretwell expanded its operations over the years, operating a fleet of eight delivery vans across its service area.

However, recent financial difficulties became apparent, with the company’s latest accounts (up to September 2023) revealing debts of up to £1.2 million owed to creditors.

Opus Restructuring has been appointed as liquidator to oversee the closure and manage the company’s assets.

Supermarket shelves across Scotland could see shortages of red meat as beef supplies near a “critical point”.

The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) has warned that beef supplies are dwindling as cattle levels continue to fall.

The number of cattle used for beef production has declined by more than 10% over the past ten years.

Farmers say staff shortages are the main factor behind declining numbers and that the government must develop better policies to help grow herds.

Scotland’s red meat sector employs more than 3,000 people across more than 20 processing plants and contributes more than £2bn to the economy.

Scott Walker, SAMW, expressed “serious concern” about insufficient supplies to meet domestic demand with the decline “likely to be felt on retail shelves at certain points” in 2025.

Cattle farmer David Smith said the biggest problem is ensuring there is enough labour to cover everything needed to care for cattle.

“It’s 24 hours a day, and you have to feed them with no days off. They don’t take holidays,” he said.

Beth Franklin & Haley Bouma | STV News

The NFU is calling on the government to recognise the key role of small and medium-sized abattoirs in the supply chain following news of the latest closure.

The last remaining abattoir in Hampshire is set to cease trading at the end of January.

The closure of Newman’s Abattoir, an independent family business, is a major blow to livestock farmers across the South and South East and is the latest of several small and medium-sized abattoir closures in recent years.

A new NFU survey of livestock farmers in the South East found many would be forced to cease trading if this trend continues.

Reasons for closures have included lack of labour availability, lack of available investment on infrastructure due to thin margins, increasing costs from waste disposal and red tape.

William Newman, who co-owns Newman’s Abattoir with his brother Robert, which trades as PC Turner and Ockwells Meat Company, said:

“This is a very sad day for us. Our grandfather started this business in the late 1950s.

“We felt we gave a very good and much-needed service to our customers and we are sorry to them that we are closing.

“We will continue our wholesale meat business and send our own animals elsewhere for slaughter. We will support our customers and offer transport where we can to other abattoirs.”

NFU Online