Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) President Martin Unrau was in Japan recently, working alongside Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Gerry Ritz, to promote Canadian beef and celebrate the recent expansion of access to include beef from cattle up to 30 months of age.

While in Japan, Unrau and Minister Ritz met with Japanese meat importers, retailers and other beef customers. “Japan is an important market for Canadian beef with huge growth potential under the expanded market access announced in January,” Unrau said. “This could be a game changer for the Canadian beef cattle sector as we work towards supplying Japan on a year-round basis.”

In January, Minister Ritz announced expanded market access to Japan that enables Canadian beef from cattle aged over 21 months and under-30-months to be eligible for shipment there for the first time in a decade. Previously, since 2005, Japan had accepted Canadian beef only from cattle under 21 months of age.

For the past three years, Canadian U21 beef shipments to Japan have averaged approximately $70 to $75 million per year.  Expansion to UTM is expected to double the value of Canadian beef shipments to Japan to $150 million in 2013.