Industry ready to 'further develop trade opportunities' with China as beef export ban lifts
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Industry is ready to "renew and further develop trade opportunities" with customers in China as the ban on Irish beef exports lifts.
Beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation in May 2020 by the Department of Agriculture of an isolated case of atypical BSE.
The department announced this week that following negotiations, exports will resume.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII), the Ibec sector organisation representing the country’s main primary beef processing companies, welcomed the news, which is a "long-awaited and welcome decision, and will widen the scope for beef exports over the coming years".
MII chair Philip Carroll said that the suspension of Ireland's beef exports to China was a "major loss" to the entire beef sector, "just as sales to this important new market were set to ramp up".
“This announcement will now enable companies to renew and further develop trade opportunities with customers in China which have been disrupted for the past two and a half years," Mr Carroll said.
He said that beef processors will work with the Department of Agriculture to finalise the necessary steps so that trade can recommence quickly.
Announcing the lifting of the ban, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that Ireland's reputation as an exporter of high-quality beef worldwide "hinges on its compliance with stringent animal health and food safety standards".
"As a major food exporter, we are always very conscious of the concerns of our customers," he said.
"China’s decision to resume Irish beef imports on the same conditions as before represents a clear vote of confidence in the output of our beef sector."
