Kilkenny farmers hope reopening of China market will be an opportunity for beef sector
The reopening of the Chinese market to Irish beef, after almost three years, has been welcomed by farming groups and the Department of Agriculture.
The resumption of exports is a huge opportunity for the Irish beef sector and development of the market should now be a priority, say farm groups.
Beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation in May 2020 by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of an isolated case of atypical BSE.
This isolated case was detected by the Department’s surveillance programme, did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health.
Atypical BSE occurs naturally and sporadically in all cattle populations at a very low rate and is not considered a public health risk.
Nevertheless, beef exports were immediately suspended as a precautionary measure in line with the bilateral protocol on the trade agreed with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
Minister of State, Martin Heydon TD, whose responsibilities include market development, hailed the news as a positive development for the Irish beef sector. “We will continue to work with the Chinese authorities to maintain and enhance our access to the Chinese market for Irish food and drink. I know that Bord Bia will soon set in motion a programme of promotions to allow exporters capitalise on the opportunities offered by this announcement,” Minister Heydon said.
President of ICMSA, Pat McCormack, said that much credit was due to Minister McConalogue and his officials for their perseverance and application in the face of what the ICMSA President said was always a disappointing decision on the part of the Chinese authorities to close their market to our exports.
Mr. McCormack said that development and growth of food exports to China must be a priority and that we could be supremely confident that the standards of our products would ensure a receptive and engaged market.
The only question, according to Mr McCormack, is whether this huge opportunity will translate back into a return for the people actually producing the beef: the farmers.
“If the reopening of the Chinese market to Irish beef doesn’t mean an increase in cents per kg for the Irish farmers producing the Irish beef, then it’s actually meaningless; it just becomes an empty marketing exercise,” said the ICMSA President.
IFA President Tim Cullinan said the re-opening of the Chinese market, after a lot of hard work, presents the beef sector with a huge opportunity in what was a market showing strong growth potential before the suspension of access in 2020.
The IFA President said the full value of the Chinese beef market must now be developed.
“It is important that eligibility is secured for all Irish beef products and the market opportunity is not restrictive,” he said.
IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said the long-awaited re-opening of the Chinese market to Irish beef is significant and we must see the benefits of this renewed access directly in stronger beef prices for cattle finishers.
He said the production costs on beef farms are well documented and beef prices must now push on to offset these costs.