Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 September 2011
224 Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to increase the amount of exports of Irish meat and meat produce to the BRIC countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25434/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department, together with Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs, continues to place the highest priority on ensuring and developing market access to markets worldwide for Irish food products including increasing our exports of meat and meat produce to the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China) countries.
Russia is currently our main market for beef exports outside of the EU and is a particularly important outlet for beef offals. Russia is also a significant market for Irish pigmeat exports as is China. My Department, together with Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs are actively trying to help Irish companies to develop new opportunities in these countries and I myself recently met with representatives of Chinese pigmeat industry who came on a visit to Ireland in order to develop trade links. We are also actively seeking to gain access to the Chinese market for Irish beef and we are expecting a visit from a high level group from China in the near future which should help us to advance this objective. I also intend to travel to China myself on a trade mission later this year.
Brazil is one of our main competitors on overseas markets and there are currently no opportunities to export Irish meat or meat produce to Brazil. Likewise with India, there are technical barriers which effectively prevent the exportation of Irish meat to that country. The securing of access to these markets in the future will be an issue for the WTO negotiations.
