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Food Industry Exports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 May 2018

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Ceisteanna (180)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to encourage new markets for food and food products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23948/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The pursuit and development of new markets for Irish agri-food exports is of course an ongoing and central component of the strategic development of the agri-food sector, as evidenced by its placement right at the centre of Food Wise 2025, the industry’s strategy for development over the coming decade. Indeed, this is all the more relevant after the UK’s decision to leave the EU, which presents significant new challenges for the agri-food sector in particular.

Food Wise 2025 outlines the huge potential for growth in agri-food exports to new and emerging markets, particularly in Asia, Africa and the Gulf region.

In keeping with the priorities outlined in Food Wise 2025, I led a very successful Trade Mission in February 2017 to the Gulf Region. This covered the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This was followed by an extensive Trade Mission to the US and Mexico in June. Both of these latter markets offer many elements that are very attractive to Irish exporters. The US is the largest food and beverage market in the world and has a population of 324 million people. Around 35 million Americans also claim Irish ancestry. Mexico has a population of 127 million, making it the eleventh-largest country in the world in population terms and the fifteenth-largest economy in the world, with projections that it will move into the top five by 2050.

Later in 2017, during a Trade Mission to Japan and South Korea in November, I was accompanied by 40 representatives of the Irish food sector, as well as by experts from my Department, the CEO of Bord Bia and senior representatives from Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc.

This was a very opportune time to bring a delegation of Ireland’s food leaders to this part of the world, given that the EU has concluded a Free Trade Agreement with South Korea as well as concluding an Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan in December 2017. Japan and South Korea are markets of high potential for beef, pigmeat and sheepmeat exports, and so it is important that we raise the profile of Irish agri-food enterprises that already have access to these markets, and make progress in negotiating access for others.

Following a further Trade Mission to the US and Canada in February, earlier this month I led a Trade Mission to China and Hong Kong. This was an extremely successful mission in the development of our ever-growing partnership with China. For example, being present at one of the World’s largest food trade exhibitions in Shanghai allowed me to reinforce the positive messages about the quality and sustainability of Irish agri-food exports to Asian buyers, and I was also fortunate to secure meetings with three senior Chinese Ministers and three Vice-Ministers over the course of the week. There is a clear ambition on both sides to further build co-operation between Ireland and China on many levels, including trade, and I will continue to do all I can to maximise this potential.

These and the other missions that my Department are planning for the latter half of 2018 will serve to enhance and improve our existing levels of market access in these destinations. It will also promote Ireland’s reputation as a producer of high quality, safe and sustainably produced meat and dairy products.

The destinations are also in keeping with the market prioritisation exercise that was undertaken by Bord Bia at my request. This exercise identified opportunities in new and more mature markets, and will provide valuable market intelligence both for industry operators and policy makers as we continue to navigate the very uncertain environment created by Brexit.

My Department will continue to seek out and identify new markets, and I am ready to respond as appropriate to other opportunities that may arise.

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