Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2014
237. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the new markets established for beef and dairy produce in the past four years; the extent to which prospects have improved in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49419/14]
View answerThe reply is as follows.
Beef
My Department engages on a daily basis with many countries, in collaboration with Bord Bia and Irish embassies’ personnel on market access issues. These initiatives have led to a number of notable successes over the past four years in securing agreement to import from authorities in Japan, Singapore, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Namibia, The Philippines and New Caledonia.
Following a decision by the authorities in the US to lift the ban on the importation of beef from the European Union, the Federal State Inspection Service (FSIS) carried out an audit of Irish beef production controls in June 2014. We received the draft final report of their visit recently and we continue to engage in order to complete the steps necessary to gain access for Irish beef to the US market. My Department is working with the meat industry to advance the various technical requirements to ensure commencement of the trade at the earliest possible date.
In November 2014, I led a Trade Mission to China and I secured a commitment from the Chinese authorities to send an inspection team to Ireland to carry out on audit of Irish beef production controls, in particular with regards to BSE. The inspection team arrived on the 10th of this month and is currently carrying out its programme. While there are a number of stages to complete before Ireland secures access for beef to China, I am hopeful that the inspection visit currently under way will lead to significant progress on the issue.
There is a strong demand for beef globally and my focus is to continually seek to gain access to third country markets which will enable Irish exporters to take advantage of the opportunities that arise.
Dairy
With respect to the dairy sector and whilst traditional markets such as the UK and the EU will naturally remain paramount for Irish dairy sector exports, it is abundantly clear that significant market opportunities exist for the sector in new markets outside the EU in the medium to long term horizon. An examination of the export statistics in the sector gives a real sense of the emerging opportunities in new and exciting markets for Irish dairy produce. In this regard the Deputy will already be aware that more than 85% of Irish dairy production is exported and Ireland exported dairy products to over 130 countries worldwide in 2013, with one third of the value of dairy exports going outside the EU. In 2013, the value of dairy exports increased by 15 per cent to some €3 billion for the first time.
It is abundantly clear that Ireland’s high standards of food safety and environmental sustainability fundamentally underpin this success. As Minister for Agriculture, I have recently witnessed firsthand the potential of the Chinese market in particular. Ireland’s dairy offering resonates with Chinese and other third-market consumers who place safety, traceability and sustainability at the core of their value proposition. Companies based in Ireland exported almost €300m worth of dairy produce to China in 2013 and the expectation for 2014 is that the figure will run approximately 25% ahead of last year. This follows on from the positive announcement from Chinese authorities earlier this year in respect of the results of an audit of Ireland’s dairy sector, which means that Irish plants have been found to fully meet the standards of new Chinese food safety laws. This approval will allow the Irish dairy sector to build on their formidable reputation in international markets, and in the increasingly important Chinese market, and to further capitalise on Ireland’s reputation for green, efficient, high quality dairy production.
Whilst an obvious and significant market, the dairy sector’s new frontiers, in terms of development and consolidation, do reach beyond China. For example, in 2013 Irish dairy exports to Nigeria were broadly compatible to exports to the United States. Exports to Senegal outperformed exports to a number of Ireland’s more traditional near-Europe trading partners. These are examples used to highlight some of the new and exciting frontiers for the Irish Dairy sector.
I can assure the deputy that the development of international market opportunities for Irish Agri food products will continue to be a priority for my Department.
