Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent of new markets established for Irish beef, lamb, pigmeat and diary products in 2009; the markets lost, if any, in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4193/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Irish beef exports in recent years have been targeted at the high value UK and Continental EU markets, with these markets accounting for over 99% of exports in 2008 and 2009. Exports of Irish beef are estimated to have fallen by 8% in 2009, whereas exports of live cattle increased by 93%. Last year, access to new markets for Irish beef was secured in Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, and for beef offals in South Africa.

The international trading climate for Irish pigmeat exports remained difficult during 2009, with exports declining in value by some 15%, partly caused by the Sterling differential. Following the disruption to trade caused as a result of the pork recall in 2008, export markets were recovered in the UK, Continental Europe, Japan and America. Yesterday the Russian authorities announced that the market for Irish pork would reopen with effect from 1 February. This leaves the Chinese market as the only one remaining closed but discussions are ongoing in attempts to have this market re-opened as soon as possible.

The French market again accounted for more than 50% of Irish sheepmeat exports in 2009. The UK, Northern European and Mediterranean countries accounted for the balance. 2009 saw an increase in shipments of light lamb to Mediterranean countries.

Irish dairy products are exported to other EU Member States and to over 100 countries worldwide. The amount of exports to any particular destination varies in accordance with changes in the supply/demand dynamics in particular regions of the world and in respect of the various dairy products involved. In overall terms, Ireland's dairy exports amounted to €2.2 billion in 2008. The UK represented the largest single share of export sales with 32%. The rest of the EU accounted for 48%, while North America and Africa accounted for 6% and 7% respectively. As international demand changes there will be an increasing emphasis on consumer food markets, particularly in the EU, US and high growth emerging economies, together with strategically expanding marketing and distribution capability worldwide.

Dairy product output from Ireland and the EU is of course constrained by the limits placed on milk output by the EU milk quota regime. The CAP Health Agreement raised these limits with a 1% increase in Member States' quotas from 1 April 2009, together with an adjustment to the butterfat calculation which will deliver the equivalent of a further 2% increase in quotas in the 2009/2010 quota year. These increases will provide Irish dairy farmers and processors with further opportunities to respond to global demand and to increase production and capture new market share.

My Department continues to work actively with Bord Bia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the industry, to identify and develop other potential markets.