On the afternoon of July 10, H.E. Fernando Mattos Costa, Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Uruguay, led a delegation from the Uruguayan Consulate General in Guangzhou and the Uruguayan National Meat Association to visit the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone. They held discussions with the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee and Macun Port Customs. Following the discussions, the Uruguayan National Meat Association and the Haikou Imported Meat Processing Association officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This marks the first MOU signed by the Haikou Imported Meat Processing Association since its official approval and establishment on July 5 of this year.

Uruguay is the third-largest source of imported beef for China, with imports reaching 275,000 tons in 2023, accounting for 10% of the nation’s beef imports. Uruguay is also the first country in the world to establish a nationwide mandatory traceability system. The main cattle breeds raised in Uruguay are Hereford and Angus, both of which have lower saturated fat content, making them healthier for consumption. The Uruguayan National Meat Association is an official public institution in Uruguay, responsible for the management, coordination, consultation, certification, quality control, and brand promotion of various Uruguayan meat products.

Minister Mattos and his delegation took a photo with beef imported from Uruguay at China Railway Cold Chain Haikou Company.

Uruguayan National Meat Association's Asia-Pacific General Manager, Cai Jiaxin, stated that currently, the import tariff on meat and meat by-products from Uruguay to China ranges from 12% to 20%. Compared to the mainland, setting up processing plants in the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone to leverage policies such as duty-free processing, and reduced corporate and individual income taxes at 15%, can significantly reduce production costs for processing enterprises and enhance the overall competitiveness of high-quality Uruguayan beef and meat by-products. The association will continue to act as a bridge and link, connecting more Uruguayan enterprises with the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone's imported meat processing industry for visits and exchanges, promoting connections between the supply and demand sides.

Han Jialong, President of the Haikou Imported Meat Processing Association, said that as a newly established industry association, the Haikou Imported Meat Processing Association will work closely with the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee, promote communication and interaction among member units, actively convey relevant information about the imported meat processing industry in the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone, and engage in deep cooperation with the Uruguayan National Meat Association. The aim is to establish an "Uruguay import-Hainan processing-mainland consumption" supply chain for imported meat.

According to the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau of the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee, the imported meat processing industry is a key focus for investment in the zone. It features a short supply chain, high import tariffs on raw and auxiliary materials, and significant domestic market demand. This industry is encouraged within the Hainan Free Trade Port, allowing enterprises to fully enjoy the "duty-free processing" policy and a 15% corporate income tax incentive, offering considerable advantages in overall operating costs compared to the mainland. Previously, with coordinated efforts, the zone facilitated Hainan Zhanhong Food Co., Ltd. in completing Hainan Free Trade Port's first duty-free value-added processing of imported beef in September 2022. Subsequently, the zone has continued to attract leading industry enterprises, forming an initial cluster for the imported meat processing industry.

To further integrate high-quality resources in the zone, strengthen corporate cooperation, and optimize industry self-regulation, the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee, as the guiding unit, has actively supported the joint initiation by Hainan China Railway Bonded Cold Chain Logistics Co., Ltd., and over 20 other enterprises to establish the Haikou Imported Meat Processing Association. In the future, the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Management Committee will continue to increase collaboration with the Haikou Imported Meat Processing Association, jointly exploring high-quality international and domestic cooperation resources, and accelerating the resolution of common issues faced by existing enterprises in overseas procurement, customs declaration, and product standards. This will drive high-quality development of the meat processing industry in the zone.