Alberta’s beef producers are getting worried over a new threat to their industry.
(Photo/Lethbridge News Now)
Japan is now imposing what it calls a temporary tariff on foreign beef from numerous foreign nations, including from Canada.
It’s raising it to 50 percent from the current 38.5 percent on imports of frozen beef from each of the nations until March of 2018.
According to an article from ATB Financial, the Japanese government says it’s doing this to protect its own beef farmers from too much foreign competition.
Officials from Japan reportedly noted that the volume of imported frozen beef exceeded quotas set by the World Trade Organization (WTO). While it mostly affects the United States, Canadian, and consequently Alberta, beef will also be affected.
The ATB says that in 2016, Japan was Alberta’s second largest export market for chilled or frozen beef, behind the USA and ahead of Mexico.
– Posted by BET
