Beijing, July 18 (EFE).- China announced an antidumping investigation into pork imports from the European Union (EU) on Thursday, singling out Danish, Dutch, and Spanish firms as key focus of the probe.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the investigation would scrutinize specific pork products and by-products originating from the EU between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.
Initial sampling results revealed that the top three EU exporters by volume during the investigation period were Danish Crown, Vion Boxtel from the Netherlands, and Litera Meat from Spain.
The firms are required to complete a research questionnaire within the designated timeframe.
The ministry will assess any damages incurred by Chinese industries from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023.
Chinese companies slaughtered 44.78 million pigs last year, accounting for 6.16 percent of the nation’s total pork production, according to the statement.
This move follows the EU’s imposition of provisional tariffs of up to 37.6 percent on electric vehicles manufactured in China.
The investigation, initiated on June 17, will focus on imports during 2023 and potential harm to the Chinese pork industry from 2020 to 2023.
It is slated to conclude before June 17, 2025, with a possible six-month extension under special circumstances.
Spain is China’s main pork supplier, with exports amounting to 7.5 billion euros in 2023.
Spain is also the EU’s leading exporter of pork products, while the EU remains the world’s largest exporter of pork and pork by-products, particularly to East Asia, including China.
In recent weeks, Beijing has escalated pressure with investigations into European pork and advanced tariffs on large displacement vehicles, alongside other antidumping probes into dairy products. EFE
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