November 6, 2014

 

China may start importing Irish beef in 2015

 

 

Chinese consumers may soon get to buy Irish beef from their favourite supermarkets after China has taken the initial step for its possible importation, most probably starting next year.

 

A trade delegation from Ireland is in China on a five-day mission to explore the Chinese market with the view to meeting the increasing domestic demand for beef and other foodstuff.

 

China will be sending a team of veterinary inspectors to Ireland next month to inspect its meat plants and quality systems, it was announced.

 

The Chinese food safety authority, the ASQIQ, sees the first shipment of Irish beef to China by 2015.

 

The head of the Irish delegation, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, welcomed the positive response of Chinese authorities, and described China's move to send a technical inspection team to Ireland as a major breakthrough.

 

"It's only a matter of time before China becomes Ireland's second-most important market after Britain," Coveney said.

 

China is increasingly looking to European countries as its major suppliers of meat and other products with food-safety issues plaguing New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, Canada, Argentina and Costa Rica. 

 

China's beef consumption is growing annually by 20%, as the Chinese middle-income class is expanding. The average income of the Chinese population has doubled since 2007.

 

The visiting Irish trade delegation was also told that China has a growing market for such dairy products as milk powders, whey and UHT milk.

 

Ireland is one step away from securing access to China's €51 billion beef market, following a meeting between Irish and Chinese officials in Beijing.

 

On what was the first day of a five-day trade mission to China, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney also announced that technical inspections would commence to prepare the way for Irish sheep exports to China.

 

The world's second largest economy continues to become ever more reliant on beef imports. Average incomes among the 1.35-billion Chinese population have doubled since 2007 and affluent consumers are turning to western-style food.

 

Huge amounts of smuggled beef are channelled into China through Hong Kong, bringing total annual imports to an estimated 900,000 tonnes - almost twice Ireland's entire output.

 

While Irish companies are already supplying product, especially offal, through these 'grey' channels, industry sources suggest that gaining official access to the market could double returns.

 

"Demand for beef in China is expected to grow by one million tonnes over the next five years and I am determined that Irish farmers and processers should have access to this critically important market," Coveney said.

 

While he wouldn't be drawn on figures, he said the Chinese market could deliver a massive boost to Irish producers of premium cuts.

 

€1 = US$1.25