Food safety and China: Levering New Zealand’s positive image

Henry Acland reports on significant interest from China in innovative, efficient and safe methods of food production in New Zealand.

Developing New Zealand’s knowledge economy does not require wholesale reinvention, but rather building on our already innovative agriculture sector and raising our levels of expertise in food production. Enthusiastic buyers of such knowledge will come from developing countries in Asia, such as China, where the rapidly expanding middle classes are demanding better quality food.

The milk powder scare in China in 2008 involving Fonterra and its local partner, San Lu, led to Chinese consumers not trusting local food suppliers. The milk powder scandal and the initial effects of the global recession resulted in a decline in demand for dairy products produced in China and imported from New Zealand. However, by the end of 2008, exports of dairy products to China were again surging ahead and have continued to do so ever since. A 25 percent increase in dairy exports to China in 2008 jumped by as much as 47 percent in 2009 (see graph below).

Already China and New Zealand are working together at official levels on managing issues related to food safety and there is also much commercial interest from China in accessing agricultural knowledge from our companies. The mutual benefits of working with China on food safety are ultimately commercial according to Dr Stephen On (pictured), who is an expert in research microbiology and leads the Food Programme at the Crown Research Institute, Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

Globalisation of food production has made it essential for both China and New Zealand to work together, says Dr On, who estimates 15 to 20 percent of ESR’s international cooperation is now with China. ESR is working with a number of different Chinese agencies and they have found that, “Once the ice is broken projects can get underway, that’s the same with any country but it does take time to develop the relationships,” Dr On says. “Getting to know the Chinese has been an enjoyable experience.”

According to Dr On, “the Chinese have good labs filled with excellent equipment and they have a tremendous willingness to learn.” It will, however, take time to really get to know each other because of the “quite different cultural backgrounds”. In an effort to build mutual understanding, Dr On has been to China three times and ESR have had a Chinese intern working with them, as well as hosting training and information programmes for various Chinese organisations. Several ESR experts have visited China as consultants in various aspects of food safety.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZSFA) is also getting to know Chinese government officials quite well. In December 12 Chinese central government officials visited New Zealand on a two-week food safety study programme. The group visited several seafood, meat and dairy businesses and farms to see how food standards are applied here, and to develop an overall understanding of New Zealand’s food safety system. Deputy director at the NZFSA, Dr Bill Jolly says the visiting officials were very interested in the New Zealand system because our food can be easily traced back to where it was first processed. The information, which is stored digitally, can be uploaded to the country that buys the produce.

Relationship building is essential in any part of the world, but nowhere, it seems, is it valued as highly as in China. Chinese government officials are wary of dealing with institutions until they have developed trusting relationships with well placed individuals within them. Dr. Jolly says it is important to maintain good dialogue with Chinese agencies so that if any problems arise, they can be fixed easily. The Chinese officials who came out were fully engaged.“ They knew what they were talking about,” he says.

A recent article published by Infometrics entitled China: Golden Prospects stated that because New Zealand has an excellent record of certifying food for export to markets with strict standards in Europe, Australia, Japan and the United States, our food safety knowledge would “surely be of real value to the Chinese authorities”. What now remains to be seen is the extent to which China and New Zealand’s relationship will develop when it comes to confidently sharing and trading food production know-how.

- by Henry Acland, a trade consultant from New Zealand now living in Beijing.

Photos (courtesy of Dr Stephen On unless otherwise stated) :

1) Busy kitchen in Beijing (sourced in Wikimedia Commons and used under the Creative Commons licence).

2) Dr Stephen On at the offices of the Zejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Hangzhou

3) Participants from China and Vietnam at the ESR - MoniQA traning course in Christchurch last year.

4) Dr Stephen On (left) of ESR and Mr Chengmiao Hu of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association shake hands after agreeing the terms and conditions for the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.


Source: Statistics New Zealand

Article uploaded: 12 February 2010