Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and well-known Korean chef Woo Hyun Cho celebrated the conclusion of the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) negotiations by hosting a cooking demonstration in Seoul, Korea, for 100 guests, including local importers. The chef’s menu showcased dishes featuring high-quality Canadian ingredients, including Canadian beef, pork, lobster, canola oil, wheat, blueberries, maple syrup and honey.
The event was part of Minister Ritz’s trade mission to Korea where, accompanied by a delegation of 30 agriculture associations and companies, he is bolstering agricultural trade ties following the conclusion of free trade negotiations. The mission also includes meetings with key Korean import interests, as well as an Export Café that will provide the Canadian delegation with an opportunity to showcase their products to potential buyers.
Following the visit to Korea, Minister Ritz will lead an industry delegation to Japan from April 16 to 17, 2014, to advance Canada’s agricultural trade interests through meetings with key Japanese government officials, agricultural associations and key industry players.
Quick Facts
Under CKFTA, Canada will receive immediate duty-free access to key Canadian export interests including the wheat and maple syrup showcased during chef Woo Hyun Cho’s cooking demonstration.
The Agreement will also benefit Canadian beef and pork showcased in the menu, providing preferential treatment and allowing Canada to compete with other beef and pork exporting countries in Korea. Additionally, the CKFTA will eliminate many of the Korean tariffs on Canada’s agriculture products, making these world-class products more competitive and creating the conditions for increased sales into Korea.
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada