This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Canada has formally reopened its market for imports of British beef for the first time since 1996 as part of a deal that includes 19 EU member states.

The environment secretary, Elizabeth Truss, said she welcomed the move as recognition of the world-class reputation of British beef and the UK’s welfare standards.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The environment secretary, Elizabeth Truss, welcomed the move as a recognition of the UK’s welfare standards. Photograph: Aly Song/Reuters

British beef exports worldwide are worth more than £370m and Scotch beef has specially protected food name status. It is thought Canada imported 162,653 tonnes of beef last year, with more than half of the shipments coming from the US, followed by Australia.

Truss said: “The market in Canada will provide an excellent opportunity to expand our thriving beef export market, which is worth £374.9m to the UK economy, and gives the Canadian people the opportunity to sample the same quality British beef we enjoy.”

The agreement, which applies to both primal cuts and manufacturing beef, has been secured with the help of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and the UK government.

Among the other countries included in the agreement are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Spain.