Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 November 2013
10. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the details of his trade mission to the Gulf region; if he foresees any benefits this will have for the agrifood sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48351/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast month, I led the largest ever Irish agri-food trade delegation of 35 companies to the Gulf States of Qatar, United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with representatives from the meat, dairy, seafood, beverages, bloodstock and agri-services sectors and government bodies. The trade mission was organised by my Department, with the assistance of Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, Horse Sport Ireland and Horse Racing Ireland.
The purpose of the trade mission was to deepen political and commercial relationships between Ireland and Qatar, UAE and Saudi, and to assist in expanding our exports to this critically important target region. I also promoted Ireland as a strategic partner in the Gulf States in terms of their food security challenges, for joint investments in dairy and other sectors, as a provider of commercial and advanced expertise in the agri food and agri services sector, as a source of the highest quality thoroughbred and sport horses, and as a location to invest in the equine sector.
The trade mission was viewed as a success at both political and commercial levels. The Irish Dairy Board’s announcement of a €20 million investment in a Saudi Dairy company Al Waseen will result in the importation of significant volumes of Irish milk powders to Saudi and the production of approximately 20,000t of a ‘white cheese’ specific to the region, using new technology developed by Teagasc. In addition, the opening of the Kerry Food and Ingredients development centre in UAE, which will produce products specific to the Middle East market, has also consolidated the Irish presence and reputation in the food sector in the region.
Bord Bia will shortly open a new office in UAE to assist food companies exporting to the region. Food exports to the Gulf States amounted to almost €200 million in 2012. There is potential to double that figure by 2020 as almost 90% of the food consumed in this region is imported. Biotector, an Irish company signed a €5m contract for the supply of its water analysis technology in Saudi Arabia while the nine technology companies that came on the trade mission have built significant business contacts and I would anticipate follow up business.
The development of Ireland’s €1billion equine sector was a significant focus of the mission and included meetings with Mohammed Bin Faleh Al Thani of the Qatari Royal family which has bloodstock interests in Ireland, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, Vice Premier and Minister for Finance in Dubai and other key investors in the Irish equine industry. Linkages with the sport horse sector are also very strong and I would expect to see these developing over the coming years.
My Department, in conjunction with the respective Embassies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are following up on the establishment of Memoranda of Understanding on the cooperation on food security and commercialisation of expertise.
In addition, I met with members of the Irish Diaspora in the Gulf Region and I would like to put on record the incredible work which they are all, both individually and collectively, doing on our behalf of Ireland in promoting Irish food and business in this region.
