Canadian pork exports to Japan are closing in on those of the United States as homegrown producers race to take advantage of a new Asia-Pacific trade deal abandoned by the U.S. in 2017.

Canadian shipments of chilled pork meat to Japan hit 14,403 tonnes in February, the second month the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was in effect, according to Japanese customs clearance data. The figure marks a 122 per cent increase compared to the same month a year ago and places Canada just behind the U.S. total of 14,599 tonnes.

“The U.S. pulling out of the CPTPP is certainly one of the reasons we have had this chance to get ahead,” said Martin Lavoie, chief executive of Canada Pork International. “This has been a major opportunity and I think you will see the numbers jumping even more shortly.”...

This was excerpted from the 7 May 2019 edition of the Financial Post.