Meat

China

Five arrested as meat scandal spreads to more international chains

23-Jul-2014 By RJ Whitehead

As more American companies are embroiled in China’s latest food safety scandal, five people have been detained following a probe into a company that allegedly supplied stale meat to fast-food outlets.

Malaysia

New halal kit will let Muslims test for pork in less than one minute

07-Jul-2014 By Rei Rengsen Siew Lin

A new testing kit will go a long way to ease fears among Malaysian Muslims that the food they are eating is halal, especially in light of a recent pork-related controversy involving Cadbury.

China

China leads world beef market’s return to better days

03-Jul-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Chinese beef import volumes remain historically high, but still a long way behind last year’s stratospheric growth.

India set to increase meat presence globally

25-Jun-2014 By Ed Bedington

India is poised to take a larger step on to the world stage when it comes to meat, delegates to the World Meat Congress were told.

China Meat Association outlines state of industry to Congress

24-Jun-2014 By Ed Bedington

The pace of change in the Chinese meat industry is rapid, with both demand and prices up, and modernisation continuing apace, the president of the China Meat Association told delegates to the World Meat Congress.

Australia

Three-quarters of deli meat in Adelaide would fail to meet standards

02-Jun-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Hygienic food handling and standard food safety protocols are not being practiced at many of Adelaide’s supermarket delicatessens, according to a University of Adelaide study.

India

EU lifts poultry meat ban while US complains to WTO of Indian embargo

15-May-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Over five years after it imposed a ban on poultry meat imports from India, the European Union has now approved their shipment subject to tough conditions.

Study aims to understand consumers' view of meat from paddock to plate

07-May-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Adelaide University has embarked on a new, three-year research project to identify the key concerns among consumers about how livestock is treated and how much they are willing to pay for ethically produced meat.

Analysis: Indian elections

Holy cow! Modi’s buffalo stance is based on votes, not religion

06-May-2014 By RJ Whitehead

“The holiness of the cow is very much linked to the communal overtones of Indian politics,” wrote Indian historian DN Jha, who received death threats following the release of his book, The Myth of the Holy Cow.

China faces growing beef shortages in spite of government efforts

28-Apr-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Faced with a long-term decline in cattle stock and a widening gap in productivity compared to other producing countries, the Chinese beef industry is having a difficult time catching up with demand on home turf.

Fresh from Smithfield buy, WH Group readies for biggest IPO in a year

10-Apr-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Chinese pork producer WH Group, which last year bought US pork giant Smithfield Foods, hopes to raise more than US$5bn in what would be the world's biggest initial public offering for a year when it lists in Hong Kong later this month.

China driving global beef growth

07-Apr-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Market fundamentals remain very positive for the global beef industry, with the Chinese market leading worldwide demand.

China lagging behind US in terms of sustainable agriculture

20-Mar-2014 By RJ Whitehead

The urea input costs per unit of pork production in China is 3.5 times what it is in the US, according to data by Rabobank. 

China’s meat majors focus on convenience as incomes rise

18-Mar-2014 By Mark Godfrey

There was a time when convenience for China’s meat-eaters was a bag of frozen pork dumplings. But today the offerings of convenience meat products are exploding across the aisles of China’s supermarket, with everything from pre-prepared frozen kebab sticks...

China’s growing appetite fuelling Australian red meat exports

26-Feb-2014 By Ankush Chibber

China’s consumption of lamb and beef has grown explosively over the last 12 months, making it one of Australia’s top red meat markets, an industry official said.

New bird flu strain poses no threat to poultry populations

20-Feb-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Human patients infected with the A(H7N9) strain of avian influenza are not able transmit the virus to animals, including birds, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Industry group adds weight to NZ country of origin labelling debate

20-Feb-2014 By RJ Whitehead

There have been fresh calls for the New Zealand government into introducing mandatory country of origin labelling with the chief executive of NZPork telling the Primary Production Select Committee that consumers want to know where their food comes from.

Hong Kong bans chicken imports from China after new bird flu discovery

28-Jan-2014 By Ankush Chibber

Hong Kong’s food safety and health authorities have shifted gears and initiated counter measures after the discovery of the H7N9 bird flu virus in a batch of live poultry from mainland China. 

China gorges on Indian buffalo via Vietnam

22-Jan-2014

India’s buffalo meat (carabeef) exports to Southeast Asia are growing fast, thanks to rising demand in China, even though the world’s second-biggest economy has not officially opened its doors to India in this sector.

FAO calls for vigilance with avian influenza on the rise in China

20-Jan-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Human infections with the influenza A(H7N9) virus are on the rise again in China and the upcoming Chinese New Year festivities provide opportunity for further spread and human exposure, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned.

Walmart pulls fox meat masquerading as donkey snacks

06-Jan-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Walmart’s China operation has responded to reports that some of its donkey meat contained the DNA of other animals, including fox.

China’s meat market value to soar in spite of lowering consumption

02-Jan-2014 By RJ Whitehead

While China’s meat consumption growth rate has been slowing over the past decade, the rise in its value will continue at a rapid pace, according to Rabobank.

Indonesia looks at alternatives to Oz food imports as tensions gather

26-Nov-2013 By RJ Whitehead

What began as outrage over phone bugging accusations has now escalated to the point that Indonesia revealed it was turning away from Australian food imports.

New USDA rule will not let Chinese poultry into America

12-Nov-2013 By Ankush Chibber

The US Department of Agriculture will not allow the import of Chinese poultry into the country, having determined the country’s slaughter system not equivalent of its system and standards.

Treading on egg shells? Australia looks to tackle Salmonella problem

06-Nov-2013 By Joseph James Whitworth

Sources of Salmonella on egg farms and in the supply chain are being investigated to tackle the pathogen problem in Australia.

OSI opens China’s biggest poultry processor

30-Oct-2013

OSI Group is on the way to becoming Asia’s biggest value-added meat processor after the American food major opened two more plants in China. 

China’s hunger for meat and dairy fuelling Australian exports

21-Oct-2013 By Ankush Chibber

Demand from China has helped the Australian state of Victoria lift its agricultural exports by 5% in 2012-13 to a record A$9.4bn, a new report from the state’s government has revealed.

Rampant mislabelling of beef in Korea

14-Oct-2013

In South Korea, more than 75 tonnes of US beef was passed off as coming from other countries over the first eight months of this year. It is said the illegal practice is to bypass restrictions that are meant to prevent the sale of meat containing a banned...

New standard for red meat proposed in Australia and New Zealand

09-Oct-2013 By Ankush Chibber

Australia and New Zealand’s red meat sector has joined a long list of food processing sectors that the region’s top food safety watchdog looking to standardise food safety requirements. 

Shareholders give go-ahead for Smithfield-Shuanghui deal

26-Sep-2013 By RJ Whitehead

By calling it a “great transaction” for shareholders, farmers and agriculture in the United States, Smithfield Foods chief executive Larry Pope couldn’t have been more ebullient now his shareholders have rubber-stamped Shuanghui’s takeover of the American...

China bans import of Australian chilled beef

26-Sep-2013 By Ankush Chibber

China has moved to ban the imports of chilled beef from Australia citing food safety concerns, according to media reports in China and Australia. 

Cargill opens poultry plant in Anhui

23-Sep-2013

Cargill has opened a new poultry operation in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui that will cover each stage of the poultry supply chain. 

Indonesia green lights Oz farmland purchase to solve beef shortage

16-Sep-2013 By Ankush Chibber

Indonesia has approved a plan to buy one million hectares of Australian farmland in the country’s north in order to solve its own crippling beef supply problems. 

China can't keep up with demand for beef, exporters line up to fillet

29-Aug-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Rising incomes, dietary changes and increasing urbanisation are behind China’s newfound appetite for beef, with consumption expected to grow by one-quarter over the next 10 years.

Three more supermarkets join Which? price plan

31-Jul-2013 By Mike Stones

Three more supermarkets have agreed to back consumer watchdog Which?’s ‘Price it Right’ campaign for simpler, clearer and consistent food pricing.

Positive outlook for China’s pork output

24-Jul-2013 By RJ Whitehead

China’s pork industry looks like it’s moving in a positive direction over the rest of this year, and as far as 2014, according to Rabobank research.

Shanghai's new live poultry regulations aim to prevent H7N9 outbreaks

01-Jul-2013 By RJ Whitehead

China’s biggest city will see new live poultry trade standards now that sales have resumed after they were banned due to the H7N9 outbreak.

Health research

Study links red meat consumption to heightened diabetes risk

18-Jun-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Researchers in Singapore have identified that eating high quantities of red meat over a period of time can increase the risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Opinion

Sino-US pork deal is destined to bring home the bacon for both sides

30-May-2013 By RJ Whitehead

While it is expected that the Shuanghui takeover of Smithfield Foods will take place once it is rubber-stamped by American authorities, the union will hardly be blessed in the US.

Australia free to export beef to Indonesia, although only in a box

28-May-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Indonesia has made imports of premium Australian beef exempt from quotas following lengthy negotiations with the Australian government.

Food deals form major part of India-China’s $100bn commerce plan

21-May-2013 By RJ Whitehead

In light of India’s trade deficit with China, which since 2010 has more than doubled to over US$40bn, the country hopes that three food and pharmaceutical agreements signed with China this week will have an impact on the shortfall.

900 arrested in latest Chinese meat sting

02-May-2013 By RJ Whitehead

China’s Ministry of Public Security has announced the arrest of 904 suspects during a three-month campaign to prevent meat-related crime, such as the sale of rat and fox under the guise of beef and mutton.

Chinese government takes measures to stabilise pork prices

08-Apr-2013

In a bid to stabilise pork prices, which have been in freefall over the last three months, the Chinese government has begun to purchase frozen pork to add to reserves, according to the country's economic planning agency.

Interview: Lisa Mabe, halal marketeer

Halal ready for export to a growing number of non-Muslim markets

08-Apr-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Asia’s Muslim-majority countries should see Western nations as a viable and potentially lucrative market for their halal products, according to a leading food marketing consultant.

Natural seasoning can prevent charred-meat carcinogens

26-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

A new study has found that natural seasonings like cinnamon, pineapple and green tea can significantly reduce the formation of cancer causing substances in well cooked meats. 

Happy holidays

Australian F&B spending to rise again this Easter, say analysts

21-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Easter, which falls between March 29 and April 1, is traditionally a period of heavy consumption, and business information analysts Ibisworld have lifted the lid on continued strong holiday expectations and changing tastes in F&B and confectionery...

Australian standards

Watchdog taking a quack at claims with action against duck meat co.

18-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has indicated it will be focusing on the veracity of label and marketing claims after it instituted court proceedings against a duck meat producer.

Australian beef

Tough task to increase herd volume to make most of EU opportunities

14-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Opportunities for Australian beef in the European Union grainfed market are there, but the big challenge lies in lifting the volume of accredited supply. 

State of the industry

China poultry expected to rise above pork growth

12-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

China’s poultry producers have long lived in the shadow of the pork industry, which remains the meat of choice throughout the nation. But now it seems that poultry is finally starting to develop in its own right.

Australia trade

Australia given green light to export lamb to India

05-Mar-2013 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s trade department has announced that the country will begin to export lamb to India free of quotas, based on Australia’s compliance with India's food safety requirements.