US poultry shipments to China boosted

Poultry products can flow without extra duties into Chinese ports. Photo Tom Fisk

Retaliatory tariffs are not being imposed on chicken products shipped from the US to China following a decision to make poultry eligible for exemptions to extra duties, Reuters reports.

In February, China said it would grant exemptions on retaliatory duties to 696 US goods to ease the trade war between the 2 economies. China had pledged to increase purchases of American agricultural goods as part of an initial trade deal signed in January, and Tyson Foods said it had seen chicken shipments rise as a result.

Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, said that US poultry was not eligible for exemptions until last week, adding that China-based importers have received exemptions from the 30% retaliatory duty, which Beijing recently reduced from 35%.

In November, China lifted a nearly 5-year ban on imports of US poultry meat. “We are now on a level playing field with the other poultry suppliers to China,” Sumner said.