A delegation from PROVACUNO has travelled to Seoul (South Korea) to hold meetings with the Korean authorities, with the aim of unblocking the current situation, which keeps the Korean borders closed to beef from Spain. The PROVACUNO delegation presented the Spanish demand to speed up a process that began more than five years ago and has been paralysed for bureaucratic reasons. In addition, in these days interviews were organised with future buyers who have already shown their interest in our product.
South Korea, like Japan, pursues the consumption of high-quality meat. The demand for meat from young animals that predominantly consume high-value cereals and oilseeds has become their purchasing priority, and Spanish beef, which meets these requirements and is characterised by its tenderness, juiciness and low fat content, fits perfectly with this demand.
“South Korea has become a thorn in the side of the market opening strategy in Asia. We have been working since 2018, trying to get the Korean authorities to take the necessary steps to open a market that is of high value to our producers. The European Union, which is responsible for maintaining negotiations with this country, has informed us that the continued delay in negotiations is not usual and that the corresponding signs of disagreement have been transferred to the Korean authority,” explained Javier López, director of PROVACUNO.
The Korean authorities already visited our country in 2022 and although the visit was very satisfactory, the report of this inspection has not yet been received, which focused on verifying that Spain is free of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and that management in this task is effective.
The consumption of quality beef in Korean society, which is currently around one million tons, is increasing. The country produces around 350,000 tonnes a year and imports around 600,000 tonnes.
PROVACUNO hopes that the activity carried out by the interprofessional organisation under the EU Beef Asia-Nice to Beef You Project, co-financed by the EU, will soon allow us to see beef from Spain on the sales shelves of South Korea.
