Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020
756. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts his Department and BIM have made to open the Chinese market to the green crab species carcinus maenus fished here. [11193/20]
View answerThe development of market access for products in third countries is kept under close review by my Department and I would encourage any seafood producers, or indeed other food producers, to contact my Department so that we can bring together the right supports and assistance, including through the network of embassies, to help promote Irish food abroad, where appropriate. Information on market requirements is currently made available for producers online: http://www.marketaccess.agriculture.gov.ie/
In 2019, the total value of all crab exports to China was €7.6 million with brown crab being the main product. Bord Bia, which is responsible for the promotion of Irish seafood in domestic and international markets, has advised that green crab is not currently a significant export product from Ireland and that it has not had requests for assistance from Irish exporters for that product.
I am advised however that the Seafood Protection Agency is working with the Vietnamese authorities to have Irish green crab added to the approved product lists for trade.
