Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 July 2018
19. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that Irish food exports can retain their position on world markets with particular emphasis on the need to access new markets in the aftermath of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31089/18]
View answerThe pursuit and development of new markets for Irish agrifood exports is of course an ongoing and central component of the strategic development of the agrifood sector, as evidenced by its placement right at the centre of Food Wise 2025, the industry’s strategy for development over the coming decade. Indeed, this is all the more relevant after the UK’s decision to leave the EU, which presents significant new challenges for the agrifood sector in particular.
Food Wise 2025 outlines the huge potential for growth in agrifood exports to new and emerging markets, particularly in Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Gulf region. This is where our efforts will be focused for the foreseeable future. Indeed, significant steps forward have been taken in opening new markets and in developing trade in existing markets for Irish agrifood exporters in the last three years alone.
For example, in 2015 Ireland gained access to the US and Canadian markets for Irish beef. In 2016, we gained access to the Iranian market for sheepmeat, and we regained access to the Israeli market for beef. In 2017, the market in Egypt was re-opened to Irish beef and we gained access to the Chilean market for Irish pork. And, of course, the news that we had achieved access to the hugely important Chinese market for beef in April 2018 was most welcome.
On the dairy front, Ireland exported over €4.5billion in dairy products to nearly 130 countries in 2017. Against the backdrop of EU-agreed trade deals such as those completed with Canada and Japan, which will benefit this sector, my Department continues to prioritise efforts to gain access to new third country markets and, equally importantly, to deepen existing markets for Irish dairy products. In many instances such efforts are on foot of Ministerial led trade missions.
More generally, the value of exports to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Central/South America stood at almost €2.8 billion in 2017. The value of trade to these markets has increased by 159% since 2009, and now accounts for over 20% of total agrifood exports. This growth has been led by Asia, with exports of €1.6 billion in 2017, of which around €1 billion went to China. Exports to other Asian markets grew by 85% since 2012 to €659 million in 2017.
Trade to Africa has also grown to €606 million, while exports to the Middle East have also grown significantly.
From a practical perspective, my Department maintains a network of agriculture attachés which is increasingly focused on countries with whom we are seeking to further develop our trading links, such as the United States of America, the Gulf Region and China. We also work closely with Bord Bia in developing international markets through its network of offices around the world, which it has recently expanded to include a presence in Singapore and in Warsaw. Indeed I have made some €14.5 million in additional resources available to Bord Bia since the UK referendum in order to assist it with its promotional efforts.
The role of trade missions cannot be underestimated in gaining further market penetration for Irish agri food products to new and existing markets. I led a series of very successful trade missions in 2017 to destinations that included the Gulf States, US, Mexico, Japan and South Korea. In the case of the latter two, this was an ideal opportunity to exploit the benefits to be derived from the EU's recent trade and economic partnership agreements with South Korea and Japan.
This work has continued in 2018. I have already led trade missions to the US, Canada and China, and my Department is currently making arrangements with Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland for a further trade mission in the last quarter of 2018 to Indonesia and Malaysia.
These and the other missions that my Department are planning will serve to enhance and improve our existing levels of market access. The destinations are also in keeping with the recent market profiling exercise that was completed by Bord Bia at my request. This exercise identified opportunities in new and more mature markets, and will provide valuable market intelligence both for industry operators and policy makers.
My Department will continue to seek out and identify new markets, and I am ready to respond as appropriate to other opportunities that may arise.
