Germany may export milk to China after foot-and-mouth outbreak
German producers are free to export pasteurized milk and milk products to China following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease if they come from outside restricted areas, Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir said on Wednesday.
"With China, we have brought one of the largest and most important markets for our dairy products back on board," Özdemir added.
He called the agreement with China a breakthrough and said it will help many companies to gradually return to normal operations.
For the first time in more than 35 years, a foot-and-mouth outbreak erupted in Germany in early January, centred on the eastern state of Brandenburg.
Some non-EU countries responded by imposing bans on meat and milk imports from the whole of Germany.
In the EU, however, the principle of regionalization applies – products from outside the protection zone around the affected farm can be traded normally.
On the basis of this regionalization, a new version of a veterinary certificate has now been agreed in negotiations with China, the ministry announced.
The Chinese main customs office is therefore now excluding heat-treated milk and milk products from the trade ban. About a quarter of German milk exports go to China.
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