Bord Bia’s commitment to intensify the promotion of Irish beef on the Chinese market has been welcomed by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

IFA livestock chair Brendan Golden said the reopening of China for Irish beef was “really welcome news” for farmers.

However, he said the challenge now for the beef industry was to convert the positive news around access to the Chinese market into actual beef sales.

The IFA representative said Bord Bia’s decision to scale up its beef promotions in China is the correct move.

“We definitely want to see them [Bord Bia] doing that; we would like to see exports to China getting back to 2019 levels as quickly as possible,” Golden said.

Important outlet

Pointing out that China was an important outlet for lower-value cuts and offal, Golden explained that underpinning prices for this market segment was crucial to maintaining beef prices more generally, as higher-value cuts were under pressure.

Some in the beef industry maintain that Irish meat companies could struggle to repeat the performance of 2019-2020.

Irish beef exports to China reached almost €40m in 2019, the last full year of the trade. In 2020, beef exports were on track to far exceed 2019 levels.

You’d have to hope that we’ll be able to get a foothold in there again

They suggest that Irish beef will be under pressure from cheaper Australian and Brazilian product.

However, Golden argued that access to the Chinese market was crucially important from a reputational perspective, as well as providing another outlet for product.

“The Chinese market is so big, you’d have to hope that we’ll be able to get a foothold in there again,” he said.

Campaign

Bord Bia confirmed last week that it is to launch a major marketing and beef promotion campaign in China.

“The resumption of trade is very timely given Bord Bia launched a three-year €1.3m EU beef and lamb promotion last month to promote the safety, sustainability and natural values of beef and lamb to Chinese consumers and customers. This campaign will intensify in the months ahead and run until May 2024,” said Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole.

“In the coming months, Bord Bia will also participate in two high-profile meat trade shows; the China International Meat Industry Exhibition (CIMIE) scheduled to take place in April and SIAL China, taking place in May, while further activities will be planned in due course,” he added.