December 26, 2023

Ireland close to securing beef access in South Korea

The Republic of Ireland is on the verge of securing access to the South Korean beef market, with the National Assembly of South Korea advancing Ireland's application to the next stage this week, Irish Examiner reported.

Charlie McConalogue, Republic of Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, who visited South Korea in October, described this decision as an "extremely positive development" and a "very significant milestone." The move follows efforts by the Irish government, designating South Korea as a priority market for beef exports.

Irish agri-food exports reached EUR 75 million (US$82.6 million) last year and adding beef to the portfolio is expected to increase this further.

The final steps involve reaching an agreement on a veterinary health certificate and hosting an audit visit to approve plants for export. Irish officials have already begun working on these aspects and plan to engage intensively with their counterparts in Korea to ensure timely progress.

In 2022, South Korea imported over 474,500 tonnes of beef, with 54% coming from the US. Brazil, a traditional player in Asian markets, lacks access to the Korean market.

Bord Bia chief executive Jim O'Toole sees gaining access to this market as a welcome boost for the Irish beef market and Irish farmers. He noted strong competition but highlighted that Irish grass-fed beef aligns well with Korean consumer preferences for high quality and naturalness.

South Korean consumers are the highest per capita consumers of meat in Asia, consuming 53.2 g per person, with 11.4 kg being beef. However, they are only 35% self-sufficient in beef, heavily relying on imports to meet demand.

Bord Bia is currently running an EU co-funded campaign to promote Irish beef and lamb in South Korea, Japan, China, and the US. The campaign, launched in June 2022, will invest EUR 4.8 million (US$5.2 million) over three years across these key markets.

-      Irish Examiner