Further push needed on Irish beef exports to China - MII

A “renewed diplomatic effort” is required in order for Irish beef exports to resume being shipped to China, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) director Cormac Healy has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

It is now 12 months since Ireland was locked out of the Chinese beef import market.

“The 12-month suspension of Ireland’s beef exports to China is a major loss to the beef sector in Ireland, just as sales to this exciting new market were set to ramp up.

Efforts

“Massive efforts went in to opening the market and then securing approvals for our beef plants. The work on establishing our presence in the market and building relationships with importers is being seriously undermined by our ongoing absence from the market.

“China’s beef imports continue to grow. In the week that the OIE formally approves Ireland’s BSE negligible risk status, we need a renewed diplomatic effort to restore access.”

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue told the Irish Farmers Journal that he raised the matter with China’s ambassador to Ireland in meetings last September and more recently in March.

“Given the importance of the market for the sector, I will continue to press the case for a resumption of beef exports to China whenever there is appropriate opportunity to do so.”

Huge loss

The loss of the market has been a huge loss to the industry and it was especially frustrating to see beef imports into China up 20% for the first three months of 2021.

With supply issues in some of the countries where China traditionally sources beef, there is a feeling within the industry that if market access isn’t achieved in the next few weeks, we will remain locked out for the long term.

Beef exports to China hit €38.8m in value in 2019 and Bord Bia had forecast we could have tripled that for 2020.

The World Organisation for Animal Health is meeting virtually this week and will formally approve Ireland’s BSE negligible risk status. This will give Ireland further reason to push to regain access.