At the 2016 Bord Bia Meat Market Seminar, presentations were delivered on developments in and prospects for international meat markets. Getting access to key international markets has been a priority for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), with considerable successes achieved in recent years. The most high profile success has been getting access to the US in 2015 and being the first European country to do since the BSE export ban was imposed 20 years ago.

Addressing the seminar, Brendan Gleeson, one of the most senior officials in DAFM, explained that so far around €11m worth of business has been done in the US. This is a fraction of the Minister’s estimate last year when the market opened but is nevertheless a significant breakthrough. The problematic approval of manufacturing burger beef is also progressing with agreement on certification expected in the first quarter of this year. Whether industry will find compliance with the likely testing requirements acceptable is another issue and that will only become evident when approval is secured.

The seminar was informed that securing approval for entry to any market was ultimately the decision of the importing country and if we want to do business with them we have to ultimately accept their terms and conditions. Explaining what seems like long-time lag between the commencement of an approval process and the delivery of the first consignment of beef, the seminar was told approvals required a high level of technical analysis and demonstration of the ability to comply. Using the example of Canada, agreement was announced in September 2014 yet it was only on Wednesday of this week that certification was agreed between Ireland and Canada. Fortunately it provides for DAFM to undertake the factory approval process which should meant that factories that have applied will now be quickly processed and approved.

China is the prize most sought after at present for beef given the threefold increase, from €200m to over €600m in the past decade, in Irish food and drink sales, particularly dairy products. China’s lifting of the BSE ban was announced with much political fanfare last spring but in many ways that was again the start of the process. An inspection visit from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) is imminent. Protocols and certification is work in progress but unlike Canada, China will conduct its own factory approval inspections through the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA). No matter how fast we want it, the reality is that Chinese approval will only be secured when they are ready, though Ireland is in a good place as far as reputation is concerned.

DAFM is also conscious of the impact of potential trade deals with what they describe as an offensive (opportunity to export to) and defensive (import threat) of trade discussions with the US though they don’t foresee a deal before 2017 at this point. A possible Mercosur deal was highlighted as a concern that Ireland was very mindful of. Live exports got a mention with an assurance that boat approval and certification were in place and it was commercial issues that were the frustrating live exports rather than approvals.

Overall, it had the feeling of a cup half full, but reality is no bad thing in an industry seminar. When politicians make announcements they tend to oversell the progress whereas officials are inclined to be much more cautious. With an audience of the leading representatives of farmers and the key meat exporters, reality on where exactly we stand rather than where would like to be is the best policy.