Parma Ham soon to be served at Chinese, Mexican and Australian dinner tables

07.03.2005

Parma, March 7, 2005 - Chinese Health Authorities concluded their visits, intent on defining the technical aspects that will allow for the export of Parma Ham to China.

Throughout the course of their inspection mission, Chinese veterinary services visited ten production sites in the province of Parma; a representative sample of the sixty producers that have requested the possibility to export Parma to the Orient.

"We are satisfied - affirms Alessandro Utini, President of the Parma Ham Consortium - Chinese health authorities showed a particular appreciation for our product, its genuineness, and the health and safety measures that characterize its production. In a very short time, our product will be on Chinese dinner tables."

While the Consortium is waiting for China's formal go-ahead to start exporting its product, Mexico's approval has just been issued over the last few days.

The Mexican government has, in fact, formally announced the official opening of its market to the direct importation of Parma Ham (Prior to this announcement, it was only possible to export Parma Ham to Mexico by "passing through" the United States).
Such an important goal has finally been reached as the result of years of intense diplomatic negotiations between the two countries, which also called for the European Commission's active involvement.
The favorable outcome of the Mexican inspection mission (December 2004) allowed production companies already qualified to export to the United States, to become officially qualified for exportation into Mexico. Authorities have declared that conformity with such strict requirements also prove to be a valid guarantee for the Mexican market.
Good news with regards to the Australian market as well. It may be useful to remember that in March of last year, the Australian government approved a document entitled "Generic Import Risk Analysis for Pig Meat, which dictated the general hygienic-sanitary conditions required for the exportation of meat products from Italy into Australia. This document specifically mentioned Parma Ham as the model for quality and health safety. This document's publication proved to be the first concrete step towards defining a broader set of regulations that has finally allowed for the exportation of Parma Ham to the Australian continent.

As is common when opening new markets, diplomatic negotiations will ensue, in order to define operative methods, including the plant qualification procedures, that production companies interested in exporting Parma Ham into Australia will have to follow in order to start interesting business relationships. 

Tuesday, March 15, Australian authorities will travel to a typical production area to visit some Parma Ham manufacturing companies, in order to verify conformity with the health requisites required for export. In regards to this issue, Australia has decided to favor those companies that are already qualified to export to the United States, as conformity with their requisites is also considered valid for the Australian market.

"Negotiations for opening Australia to Parma Ham, are now entering the crucial phase- concludes Alessandro Utini, President of the Consortium- Australian health authorities will, in fact, have to define all of the requisites necessary for qualifying exporting companies. We are convinced that our companies will once again pass these tests with full marks, reconfirming yet again, the qualities intrinsic to Parma Ham: naturalness, genuineness, and absolute product safety, with regards health."

Parma Ham, European market leader for raw hams, produces 9.3 million pieces for a consumer value of more than 1,500 million €. It is present on the dinner tables of consumers in more than sixty markets throughout the world, and exports more than 1.500.000 hams, creating an export business worth more than 400.000 €.

The European market represents the product's main outlet; approximately 70% of exports are concentrated within the European Union, plus an additional 5% exported to European nations that are not part of the European Union. The rest of the world, on the other hand, counts for 25% of all exports. Among importing countries, three great markets particularly stand out: the United States, Japan, and Canada.

For information, please contact:

Fabrizio Raimondi
Press Office
Parma Ham Consortium
Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma
0521 243987 - 335 389848
ufficiostampa@prosciuttodiparma.com

- top -