‘We’re not throwing up the white flag on the UK’ – Department of Agriculture

One of the senior figures within the Department of Agriculture has insisted that the UK market will remain a priority for Ireland despite Brexit.

Assistant secretary general in the Department Brendan Gleeson told the Irish Farmers Journal at the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) annual conference on Friday that there “needs to be a frictionless trade border” after Brexit.

“Our objection is clear. We want frictionless trade with the UK with no tariffs. The only formula for that is remaining within the customs unit and the single market.

“We’re not throwing up the white flag on the UK…the UK is our largest market and most important market for livestock-based products and we are committed to retaining an Irish presence on UK retail shelves,” he said.

Alternative markets

However, Gleeson said the Department is continuing to explore alternative markets to counteract the Brexit threat.

The markets the Department is chasing are both inside and outside the European Union.

"We're not throwing up the white flag on the UK market... It's still a very important market." - Brendan Gleeson @agriculture_ie #ASAconf17 pic.twitter.com/pGOLOZAEeZ

— Farmers Journal (@farmersjournal) September 8, 2017

According to Gleeson, Irish sales of beef to Germany have doubled in the past five years.

Outside of the EU, the Philippines market has grown since it opened three years to a value of €26m last year.

Slow grind

“We have intensified our efforts to expand into third country markets but that’s a slow grind.

“We do a lot of work trying to open markets. From time to time, there is criticism with the pace of progress [in opening a market] but this is determined by the receiving country.

“When it comes to sales into those countries, operators will sell into the places that are most profitable.

“The important thing is open opportunities for companies in the most profitable countries,” Gleeson said.

There will be further updates from the 2017 ASA conference on www.farmersjournal.ie throughout Friday and the weekend as well as in next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.

Farmers must embrace sustainability or the market will react negatively – Hogan

Brexit offers some positives for the sector – ASA survey

€50m Brexit loss to Irish cheddar