Darren O'Rourke
Question:1989. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a food-related trade mission to China will occur in quarter 1 of 2022 [1898/22]
View answerWednesday, 19 January 2022
Questions (1989)
Written answers
The Deputy will be aware that Ministerial Trade Missions, lead by my Department, are an important tool in the development, diversification and expansion of Ireland's agri-food export profile.
Unfortunately, the public health challenges we have faced since early 2020 due to the pandemic have severely inhibited the opportunities to have in-person Trade Missions to our key international markets. However, during this time Minister of State Martin Heydon and I have participated in a series of virtual trade missions and trade promotional engagements in these markets. These engagements included activities in China and other markets in South East Asia, in West Africa, and in our more traditional markets across the EU, UK and US.
I am hopeful that 2022 will see an easing of restrictions on international travel, and on this basis my Department is developing a comprehensive schedule of in-person trade missions for the year ahead. I am particularly aware of the value of in-person visits to China, and their importance in addressing issues such as the current suspension of Irish beef exports, so a visit to China in 2022 is key objective for me.
The latest information from China, however, suggests that travel restrictions on international delegations will remain in place for the next six to nine months at least. Therefore it will not be possible to arrange a trade mission in early 2022. I am, however, planning on travelling to China as soon as possible, and the Department's current plan has a visit to China scheduled for November 2022.
I can assure the Deputy that I and my Department will also continue to use all diplomatic levers at our disposal to engage with the Chinese market, in collaboration with industry stakeholders and Bord Bia.