Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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189. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an unusual demand for powered milk has been recorded here due to a shortage in China; if such a development has implications, good or bad, for milk producers here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19635/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is the largest exporter of infant formula in Europe. It is estimated that Ireland produces 10% of global exports of powdered infant formula and has world class manufacturing facilities producing for the domestic, European and international markets.

There has been an increase in enquiries to my Department about exporting infant formula to China, following recent media coverage about a shortage in that market. Dairy produce exported from Ireland to non EU countries is manufactured in accordance with the relevant national and EU regulations, and approved establishments that manufacture dairy produce are monitored and audited by the Department. Importing countries apply their own standards for imported product and exporting companies manufacture the product accordingly.

Fluctuations in demand from third countries have no direct implications for milk producers but, of course, increased global demand for dairy products will ultimately benefit milk processors and producers. Indeed, it is this increased demand that Food Harvest 2020 aims to capitalise on with a target of a 50% increase in Irish milk production over the next several years.