Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for new market development Martin Heydon is to travel to China next week to lead the first Irish agri-food trade visit to the country since 2019.

The visit comes hot on the heels of the resumption of Irish beef market access in January.

Minister Heydon will be meeting with Irish dairy companies exhibiting at the Hainan Expo as well as exhibitors of Irish spirit products. This will be followed by engagements with Irish beef processors in Shanghai and with customers of Irish dairy and beef.

Agri-food exports to China were worth over €700m in 2022, making it Ireland’s sixth-largest overall market. Beef exports were worth almost €100m in 2019.