Foodstuffs Finnish poultry meat finally received an export license to South Korea – HK Scan will start exporting broilers in the next few weeks

From Finland Poultry meat will soon be exported to South Korea, according to food company HK Scan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MMM).

South Korea approved the import of poultry meat from Finland on Friday, and exports can begin immediately.

HK Scan will start exporting poultry meat in the coming weeks, which is a “significant step” for its export, according to the company’s press release. The company currently exports Finnish and Swedish pork to South Korea.

The volume of exports in the first year is estimated at 3–5 million kilos. The products exported to South Korea are chicken legs, wings and toes, and the chicken meat comes from HK Scan’s Rauman unit.

Poultry meat Applying for an export license to South Korea was started already in 2007, but the actual work could only be started in 2016 with the help of the Export Promotion Resources confirmed by the Food Agency.

During these years, extensive reports have been submitted to South Korea on Finnish official controls, the animal disease situation and food safety, MMM says. The South Korean authorities also carried out inspection visits to Finland in June and July 2017 and in December 2021.

According to MMM, South Korea is an important trading partner for Finland in food exports, and pork and dairy products, for example, are already exported there.

In terms of pork, South Korea is the second most important export destination after China. In 2020, pork worth EUR 15.5 million was exported from Finland to South Korea.

I- and Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Forestry Jaana Husu-Kallio believes that there is also demand for Finnish poultry meat in South Korea.

“The selling point of Finnish poultry meat is the good animal disease and salmonella situation in Finland and the freedom from antibiotics,” Husu-Kallio says in a press release.

According to HK Scan’s press release, Finnish poultry meat is also unique worldwide, as the meat is responsibly produced and free of antibiotics.

“Obtaining an export license is a concrete indication of the high quality of Finnish meat,” says HK Scan’s Vice President, Finland. Jari Leija in the bulletin.

Export licenses for South Korea are also being applied for for a number of other foods. There are currently ongoing projects on eggs and egg products, infant formula, butter and ice cream.