HONG KONG, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Hong Kong on Sunday further relaxed restrictions on beef imports from Canada as the risk of imports being contaminated with mad cow disease has receded, the government said in a statement.
Imports of meat cuts involving the vertebral column from cattle less than 30 months old would be allowed from Sunday under the latest easing of restrictions on Canadian beef, imposed after the discovery of mad cow disease on a Western Canadian farm in 2003.
South Korea and mainland China are the only two major markets still closed to Canadian beef imports.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and review our import requirements as and when necessary," the Hong Kong government said in the statement.
The announcement was made during a visit to Hong Kong by Canadian Premier Stephen Harper.
Hong Kong's ban on Canadian beef was partially lifted in November 2004 with the government authorising the import of boneless beef cuts from cattle under 30 months old.
It allowed imports of beef rib cuts from cattle less than 30 months old to resume in March and in late June lifted a ban on the import of boneless beef, beef rib cuts as well as tails and offal from cattle less than 30 months old. (Reporting by Susan Fenton; Editing by Jerry Norton)