HELSINKI, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Finnish leading meat producer Atria has welcomed a Finno-Chinese agreement on the quarantine and veterinary requirements for poultry meat, which created opportunities for the export of Finnish poultry to China.
In a recent interview, Senior Vice President Markku Hirvijarvi told Xinhua that this agreement is a tremendous opportunity not only for Atria but also for the Finnish food industry.
"The Chinese market is really important to Atria, and we are looking forward to starting export chicken meat from Atria to China as soon as possible," said Hirvijarvi.
Finnish Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah and Wang Lingjun, deputy director of China's General Administration of Customs, signed in early November in Beijing agreements outlining the terms for poultry exports to China and fostering cooperation on food safety.
According to Atria, poultry consumption is increasing steadily in Finland and globally.
Atria became the first Finnish company to obtain a pork export permit to the Chinese market in 2016, which has grown into an important export market for the company, which also operates in Sweden, Denmark, and Estonia.
According to Atria, it is one of the leading food companies in the Nordic countries and Baltic region. In Finland, they produce around 170 million kg of meat per year. Products are exported to over 30 countries and regions around the world. ■