April 17, 2012

Ireland's Red Mills first to obtain China import licence

The first in the world to secure a license to import horse feed into mainland China is Ireland's animal feed company Red Mills.

The company, which is based at Goresbridge in Co Kilkenny, said it was difficult to guess the value of its business with China, but estimates its potential worth at several million euros. Red Mills already exports to six Asian markets. It began exporting to Japan in 2006.

The Department of Agriculture signed the agreement for the animal feed licence on April 16 with Chinese officials in Beijing during the Agri Services Trade Mission to China being led by Minister for Agriculture, Food and The Marine, Simon Coveney.