Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 March 2018
423. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the manufactured beef products exported to the United States of America on an annual basis in the 2015 to 2017 period by volume and value in tabular form. [11230/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra424. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the volume and value of exports of beef, lamb, pigment and dairy product to the USA on an annual basis over the period 2015 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11231/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra426. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the original value and volume targets his Department put on beef exports to the United States of America for 2015, 2016 and 2017; the actual value realised in each such year for such exports; and the amount of Irish manufacturing beef and ground beef which has been permitted to enter the market in the United States of America on annual basis during this period. [11233/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 423, 424 and 426 together.
In order to provide a breakdown, as requested, it is necessary to use Central Statistics Office (CSO) trade statistics. The following table provides all the Beef, Pigmeat and Dairy exports for each of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 to the USA, in both value and volume terms. Ireland does not currently have sheep meat access to the USA.
In view of the volume of statistical data collected as part of agri-food trade statistics, some errors in respect of individual products may occur. Where these anomalies are identified, the Department will liaise with the CSO to highlight and amend the information as required.
|
|
2015 |
|
2016 |
|
2017 |
|
|
|
€000s |
tonnes |
€000s |
tonnes |
€000s |
tonnes |
|
Beef |
5,452 |
912 |
9,840 |
1,772 |
7,719 |
1,571 |
|
Pigmeat |
27,465 |
6,827 |
25,427 |
6,360 |
19,021 |
4,860 |
|
Dairy |
1,862 |
31,232 |
1,725 |
33,819 |
1,890 |
37,830 |
In relation to beef, according to the CSO exports have increased from under 1,000 tonnes in 2015 to over 1,500 tonnes in 2017. Ireland was the first EU MS to secure market access to the USA for beef in January 2015 and was the first Member State (MS) to export beef to the USA. In July 2016 Ireland received approval to send Beef Intended for Grinding (BIFG), also known as manufacturing beef to the US.
CSO data is classed by CN (Combined Nomenclature) codes in line with EU requirements and data on manufacturing/ground beef is not available. However, it can be seen from the data that the majority of beef exports, around 90% in 2017, comprised frozen bovine boneless beef and frozen edible bovine offal. Ireland does not have market access to the USA in terms of processed beef, which may also be called manufactured beef. Therefore exports of these types of products did not occur.
The role of my Department is to open new markets and maintain existing markets for Irish food exports and overall targets are set out for agri-food exports in Foodwise 2025, in terms of an increase to €19 billion by 2025. However, volume and value targets are not set on a country or commodity basis. My Department works very closely with the meat industry but once a market has been opened trade arrangements are left to individual companies and exporters and the actual trade volumes will vary depending on a range of factors such as currency fluctuations, global supply and demand as well as local and international factors.
