Japan lifts Polish beef embargo

Agriculture minister Marek Sawicki with the Janaese ambassador Makoto Yamanaki announcing Tokyo's decision to lift an embargo on Polish beef, Warsaw 01.08.2014 Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański

The annoucement follows on from a meeting with the Japanese ambassador in Warsaw, Makoto Yamanaka.

Sawicki said that he is also pushing for the export of Polish pork products, as well as the possibility of exporting fruit and vegetables to Japan. The agriculture minister underlined that the move had nothing to do with a new embargo enforced from 1 August by Russia on the import of Polish fruit and vegetables, notably apples.

Poland is the fourth European country to be allowed to sell its meat to Japan after it placed an embargo on Poland 13 years ago amid the BSE ‘mad cow’ crisis in Europe.

In 2012, Polish food exports to Japan crossed the 100-million-euro mark. (jb)

Source: IAR