Jinan Zhuocheng Bio-Tech Co., Ltd.

The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) announced that Spain and China have signed six new agreements on animal health and agricultural product/food exports to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's visit to China, the two sides signed five new cooperation protocols and a memorandum of understanding. One protocol concerns regionalization recognition for poultry meat exports: in the event of future outbreaks of avian influenza or Newcastle disease, poultry meat from disease-free zones may continue to be exported to China. MAPA considers this measure "essential" for avoiding trade disruptions during outbreaks and ensuring the continuity of exports of poultry products from non-affected areas, establishing a "stable framework" for Spanish poultry meat and product exports to China following China's formal recognition of Spain's regionalization measures for highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease.

In the plant products sector, a newly signed phytosanitary protocol will allow Spanish pistachios and dried figs to be exported to China, marking further progress following the 2023 almond export agreement. Prior to the official launch of exports, Chinese authorities plan to dispatch personnel to Spanish production areas for on-site inspections.

In the pork sector, the two sides reached an agreement on processed protein exports, allowing by-products from Spain's meat industry to be recycled and utilized. Meanwhile, they revised the existing pork export protocol to include cooked pork products in the export scope. MAPA stated that this will enable more Spanish companies to export heat-treated pork products, consolidating their position in major overseas markets. Additionally, the two sides explored the export to China of fertilizers derived from animal proteins (such as blood from the meat industry) to promote the value-added utilization of by-products.

At the same time, the two sides also initialed a memorandum of understanding on geographical indications and designations of origin, aimed at strengthening cooperation in this field. MAPA noted that the conclusion of all these agreements was made possible through the "close" collaboration between Spanish export industries, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Chinese authorities (particularly the General Administration of Customs).