Inspections delay US food going to China

September 18, 2007|Associated Press

BEIJING - China has sharply increased inspections of imported US food, escalating a dispute with Washington over product safety and leaving American beef piling up in warehouses and delaying shipments of black pepper and other goods.

Authorities who used to inspect as little as 5 percent of imported goods now check every shipment of American poultry, snack foods, and other products, companies and trade groups say.

"I suspect they are doing this to keep the pressure on the United States to relent on some of these [food safety disputes], because the US is taking a very tough stand on Chinese products," said James Rice, China manager for Tyson Foods Inc., the world's largest meat processor.

Chinese authorities banned chicken imports from two Tyson plants in June after salmonella was found in shipments, Rice said. But he said the company, which sells about $200 million worth of chicken to China every year, still was allowed to import from its 167 other facilities.

The stepped-up inspections are the latest volley after a series of large product recalls raised scrutiny of Chinese-made products in the United States.

Tougher Chinese inspections are forcing importers and retailers to adjust shipping and delivery schedules, although so far they say the delays have not harmed their bottom lines.

But the moves add to tensions in a relationship that is strained by China's multibillion-dollar trade surplus with the United States. Chinese officials have suggested the US government might be using safety concerns as an excuse to block imports from China.

A US Embassy spokeswoman declined to comment on whether Washington has complained about the increased inspections.

China is a major market for US soybeans and chicken, and sales of citrus, beef, and processed food also are growing.