Kieran O'Donnell
Question:115. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the destinations for official trade missions planned by his Department for 2022. [7071/22]
View answerThursday, 10 February 2022
Questions (115)
Written answers
The Department continues to support the ambition of the Irish agri-food sector to grow both the value and volume of our exports to international markets. The promotion of Ireland's high-quality, safe, nutritious, and sustainably produced food remains a core objective of my Department and its agencies.
Indeed, this Government's commitment to new market development, enhanced market diversification and continued consolidation of our traditional markets has been demonstrated by the appointment of Martin Heydon TD as Minister of State with specific responsibility for these objectives.
To that end, I am commencing critical engagements in overseas markets next week with a Trade Mission to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This Mission will include Government-to-Government discussions and engagements with key Irish customers. It will also encompass Gulfood, one of the world's largest food fairs, and EXPO 2020 in Dubai.
This visit forms part of an intensified programme of trade missions that will be undertaken this year. In late April, Minister of State Heydon and I will lead a Trade Mission to the United States and Mexico. Further missions in the second half of 2022 will be focused on South East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and China.
The selection of these particular destinations is informed by the comprehensive market prioritisation analysis that has been undertaken by Bord Bia in recent years, and will complement the continuing programme of virtual engagements with overseas governments and clients - a model that has been developed very effectively since the advent of the pandemic.
Question No. 116 answered orally.