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Food News Clipping

January 25, 2011

2011.01.25

FAS/Seoul Monitoring of Media Reporting on Agricultural Issues

Today's Date:     Tuesday January 25, 2011

For Coverage:   January 24 - 25, 2011

 

 

 

Editorial:  Anti-FTA Trip [English: BYK]

http://www.koreaherald.com/opinion/Detail.jsp?newsMLId

Summary:A group of opposition lawmakers left for Washington, D.C., Monday to stage a campaign against the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement which awaits ratification by the two countries¡¯ legislatures. They are accompanied by some members of the radical Minjunochong (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions), a farmers¡¯ association and a few other civic groups on the trip.

 

Shameful opposition to the FTA [English, CSY]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2931394

Summary: After much meandering, the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement is heading toward its final ratification. On Jan. 25, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a hearing on the agreement. Both governments have so far tried to overcome their conflicts of interest to meet the demands of the industries involved.

 

At this critical moment, however, opposition Democratic Party lawmakers Chun Jung-bae and Lee Jong-kul and Democratic Labor Party lawmaker Kang Ki-kap are in the United States to stop the ratification of the FTA, together with representatives of the liberal Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and People¡¯s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy. They plan to meet with nongovernmental civic groups opposed to the FTA and will also visit House representatives to urge the congressmen to join them in their opposition to the trade pact.

 

 

Use of Rice by Local Food Processors Shows a Significant Increase [Korean, OSY]

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/economy/2011/01/24/0318000000

Summary: Rice consumption by the local food processors has increased significantly in the last several months due to introductions of more products that incorporate rice.  Industry contacts commented that because consumers in general perceive products with rice ingredients better in nutrition and well-being image, there will be continuous flow of new products into the market that incorporate rice.

 

 

Korea to allocate TRQ for frozen pork [Korean: BYK]

http://www.eto.co.kr/news/view.asp?Code=201101250

Summary: Korea will allocate a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) of 60,000 MT for frozen pork to control the increasing pork prices.  The duty for pork imports coming in under the TRQ will be zero percent.  The 60,000 MT will be composed of 10,000 MT of frozen pork bellies and 50,000 MT of other frozen pork products that will be used for processing purposes.  The current duty for frozen pork imports is 25 percent. The TRQ is applicable to imports made up to June 30, 2011.

 

Taiwan to enhance testing of beef imported from U.S.A. and Canada [Korean: BYK]

http://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0104_201101210333311901

Summary: Taiwan is going to increase the sampling rate for beef being imported from the United States and Canada from the current 5% to 20%.  Taiwan is taking such measures after detecting ractopamin in beef imported from the United States and Canada.  It is also reported that Taiwan will be requiring importers to submit a certificate that the beef being imported from the United States and Canada does not contain ractopamin, which is a prohibited substance.

 

Farmers quarantining themselves for New Year [English, CSY]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2931440

Summary: Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, livestock farmers are voluntarily cutting themselves off from their family and friends in fear that visitors might infect their farms with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or avian influenza A, fencing themselves in, shutting down roads and closing local markets. Residents of Gaya, Hongseong County, South Chungcheong, have blocked off roads leading to their village to fend off visitors from contagious regions since Jan. 11. Gaya is free of FMD.

 

Meat prices fluctuate as FMD crisis escalates [English, CSY]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2931425

Summary: Pork and chicken prices are on the rise, while the cost of beef is falling. The price of 100 grams of pork belly last week was 1,680 won ($1.50), which represents a more than 20 percent increase from 1,380 won two months ago.  This is the biggest increase since September 2010.  In addition, the price of chickens and eggs have gone up because of the spread of avian influenza. Last week the wholesale price of a chicken was 2,100 won. This is 20 percent higher than the price before the outbreak.  At E-Mart, the retail price for a kilogram of chicken has increased 10 percent from last week when the first avian influenza case was reported in Paju, Gyeonggi. Egg prices are also climbing ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday next week.

 

In contrast, the price of beef has been falling.  According to the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation, the price for a kilogram of premium pork was 7,600 won. This is 3,000 won more than a month ago. In contrast, the wholesale price of hanwoo, or Korean beef, fell by 1,500 won to 14,400 won per kilogram during the same period.  Analysts said the reason that hanwoo prices have fallen while pork prices are on the rise is that the FMD outbreak has affected pig farms more than cattle farms.

 

FMD vaccine development to take time [English, CSY]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/01/117_80253.html

Summary: President Lee Myung-bak called for the development of vaccines for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) Monday as a means to fight the highly contagious animal disease. But analysts said it will take a long time before the country could actually develop a vaccine of its own, while its commercial viability remains unclear.  Lee¡¯s remark came as the disease has spread to most parts of the country with over 2 million animals having been culled despite nationwide quarantine operations, causing unprecedented financial damage worth more than 2 trillion won.  However, the development plan will not be an instant solution to the current epidemic as it takes more than a year to produce a reliable and accredited vaccine. Following the remark, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it will form a taskforce to review necessary steps. The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS), a unit of the ministry, will undertake the task.

 

S. Korea confirms more FMD outbreaks [English, CSY]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/01/25/85/0501000000AEN

Summary: South Korea has confirmed two more foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in the country despite concerted quarantine efforts and wholesale vaccination of livestock, the government said Tuesday.    The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said pig farms in Gimhae and Gongju, 450 kilometers and 160km south of Seoul, respectively, tested positive for the highly contagious animal disease.   The outbreak in Gimhae is the second confirmed case in the province located in the southeastern tip of the country and a clear sign that FMD has spread nationwide. A total of six provinces and two large cities had confirmed cases of the animal disease since the first outbreak was reported on Nov. 29.   With the exception of some breeding sows that received vaccines more than two weeks ago, all 8,188 animals will be destroyed at the farms to stop the spread of the disease, the ministry said.

 

 

Smallest Size (15 Liter) Microwave Oven by Daewoo Sells Like Hotdogs [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/Economy/Market/3/0108/20110124/34349596/1

Summary: Daewoo Electronics reported that sales of a 15 liter size microwave oven, smallest size in the market, have reached 100,000 units only in five months since launching.  The company said that the outstanding sales of the microwave oven are likely to continue in the coming months because of the strong demand by single household families.  The company has recently launched a series of electronics targeting the single households, including smallest size laundry machine and refrigerator.

 

Korean Consumers Purchase More On-Line, Master Card Survey [Korean, OSY]

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/economy/2011/01/25/0301000000AKR

Summary: A survey by Master Card revealed that Korean consumers were the biggest user of on-line shopping among 15 countries surveyed.  Average number of on-line purchases by Koreans in 2010 was 5.9, which was higher than Japanese (5.1) and Chinese (5.6).  Koreans also marked the highest score (63 point) in on-line shopping aptitude test, followed by Japanese (57 point).  

 

S. Korea to cut tariffs on pork imports to ease price instability [English, CSY]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/01/25/16/0502000000

Full text: South Korea will reduce tariffs on imported pork in an effort to stabilize prices amid a supply shortage caused by the spread of foot-and-mouth disease here, the finance ministry said Tuesday.    The ministry said that it will impose a tariff quota on pork, cutting tax rates on 60,000 tons of the meat from the current 25 percent to zero percent starting this month.   The tax reduction will remain effective until the end of June. The ministry said that it will consider extending the cut further depending on market conditions after the target month.   The move is aimed at stabilizing prices of pork and related products such as ham and sausage amid concerns that the massive slaughter of pigs due to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease is driving up meat prices.  More than 2 million cattle, pigs, goats and deer have been culled since the outbreak of the highly contagious animal disease in late November, according to Seoul's quarantine officials.

 

 

The information in this report was compiled by the Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. The press summaries contained herein do NOT reflect USDA, the U.S. Embassy, or other U.S. government agency official policy or view point. U.S. food exporters can learn more about market opportunities in South Korea by reviewing ATO Seoul¡¯s Exporter Guide and other reports available at www.fas.usda.gov by clicking on ¡°attaché reports¡±.

 

 

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