Vietnam – hope for beef access still alive

Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Agriculture Andrew Doyle is still hopeful of securing access for Irish beef into Vietnam on future trade missions.

Jack Kennedy

6 September 2016

Vietnam – hope for beef access still alive

L-R: Michael Cantwell EI, David Butler Sustainable Food Systems Ireland, Dr Ha Quang Tuan Hannoimilk, Cormac Healy, Meat Industry Ireland, Aidan O Driscoll, Dept of Ag and Mr Uong Dinh Hoang Vietnam Department of Agriculture at panel discussion: 'What Ireland can offer Vietnam'

Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Agriculture Andrew Doyle in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The big push from the Irish trade mission to Vietnam this week was to secure access for Irish beef into Vietnam. Unfortunately it didn’t happen on this occasion but Minister Doyle is hopeful it will in the near future. After the event, the Minister said: “I can’t put a time frame on it but I’m very hopeful and we need to keep the momentum that has been gathered this week to ensuring that it happens.”

After the event, the Minister said: “I can’t put a time frame on it but I’m very hopeful and we need to keep the momentum that has been gathered this week to ensuring that it happens.”

According to Bord Bia, the market value of the livestock sector in Vietnam is estimated to have reached almost €21m in 2015. Pig production continues to dominate the domestic meat sector, accounting for over 65% of the total livestock production in 2015, but beef is growing and is high-value.

What can Irish companies offer in Vietnam?

During a debate in front of local Vietnamese media and industry directors, Department general secretary Aidan O'Driscoll asked Meat Industry Ireland representative Cormac Healy what Irish companies can offer in Vietnam. He said: “The presence of leading Irish meat chief executives here in Vietnam this week shows a strong intent to grow the market here in Vietnam."

The tannery business is big in Vietnam so we could play a part in this also with hides and skins

Since Irish pigmeat got clearance in 2014, trade has progressed significantly and we are hopeful as a large beef exporting nation and the largest exporter of lamb raised on green grass that we have a suitable product for Vietnamese consumers. Also, the tannery business is big in Vietnam so we could play a part in this also with hides and skins.”

In Vietnam’s rural areas the majority of cows and buffaloes are raised for farming, milk production, or means of transport and in some areas considered assets rather than a means to generate meat for eating. Domestic production is fragmented and struggles to meet consumption demands in the country as there is no local feed or breeding infrastructure.

Bord Bia chief Aidan Cotter presented details of Ireland’s production system and the environmental and animal welfare standards Irish farms have to adhere to under the Origin Green label. This goes down very well in Vietnam as they struggle with environmental issues given the large population on a relatively small land base. Over 91m people live in an area just 1.7 times the size of Ireland.

Meat consumption

Meat consumption in Vietnam has risen significantly over the last decade. This is fuelled by strong income growth as well as population growth. The actual amount in 2014 was 3.6mT and is forecast to reach over 4.5mT in 2019. There is a significant shortage in the supply of beef and chicken. Pork has long been the traditional consumed meat in Vietnam, accounting for 68% of total meat consumption and increasing by 3% per year. Per-capita meat consumption is still considered relatively low at 33kg/head compared with 107kg/head in the US and 75kg in the EU.

Creed on a mission to find new markets for Irish food

Full coverage: Asia trade mission 2016