Irish beef exports to the Philippines during the first seven months reached over 6,000 tonnes, worth almost €10 million (US$11.4 million), making the Republic of Ireland the southeast Asian country's second-largest beef exporter.

 

"I recently concluded an extension to our market access to the Philippines, where already this year there has been almost €10 m of beef exports from Ireland, making us the second-largest exporter of beef into the Philippines", said Simon Coveney, Minister for the Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

 

The Philippines is a pork- and fish-eating country, and poultry consumption has registered steady growth for the past several years.

 

Demand for beef, however, is gaining as the population grows and the economy continues to post strong growth.

 

Coveney also said that Irish beef got a major reputational boost this year after it gained access to the US market, making Ireland the first EU member to get export approval.

Access to US market

 

"The US market was opened to Irish beef exports in January 2015. Feedback from exporters eligible to export beef to the US indicates that exports to date had reached approximately 330 tonnes by early September. This would have an approximate value of €2.1m ($2.4 million)", Coveney stated.

 

Coveney likewise cited China's decision in February to lift the BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad cow disease) ban on boneless beef from animals under 30 months of age from Ireland, making "us the first EU MS (member state) to achieve this goal".

 

"This move, while very significant, does not permit trade to commence and my Department is working closely with its counterparts in China to conclude the necessary technical steps, which need to be completed before trade commences", Coveney explained.

 

Coveney said Ireland is seeking beef access to more third countries, or countries outside the EU, such as South Korea, Vietnam and Mexico. "It is my intention to continue to focus on developing as many third-country markets as possible in order to provide exporters as many commercial opportunities as possible in a competitive global marketplace".-Rick Alberto