Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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22. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which new markets for Irish food products have been entered into in recent times with particular reference to countries outside the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53070/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In line with the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, export led growth in agri-food and related sectors, is being actively pursued in my Department. This strategic approach has resulted in the following specific new market openings in 2013:

- UAE opened for sheep-meat;

- Libya opened for livestock;

- Australia opened for pigmeat;

- Iran opened for beef;

- GCC lifted the ban on imports of beef and sheep-meat;

- Canada opened for Sheepmeat;

- China opened for Salmon;

- Japan opened for beef.

The most recent announcement of the opening of the Japanese market to Irish beef is very significant not only in terms of the potential of up to €15million in exports, but also from a reputational point of view, particularly in the Asian region.

My recent trade mission to the Gulf States of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates also yielded productive outcomes particularly for dairy products, food ingredients, agri-services and the equine sector.

I also led trade missions to US in 2013, where exports of agri-food to the US have increased from €406million in 2010 to €518million in 2012 and to Switzerland where exports have increased from €29million to €38million in this period. Following intensive lobbying, the US published its BSE rule which is a first step in moving to opening the US market to exports of Irish beef. This is now being followed up at official level to ensure that Irish beef can be exported as soon as the market reopens in 2014.

All of these efforts should of course be viewed in the context of the continued growth in the performance of our actual exports. Exports of food and drinks rose by 2% in 2012 to over €9 billion. They are showing a further 6.5% increase in the first nine months of 2013. Asian markets accounted for over 5% of exports in 2012. In China alone, we have seen our exports increase from €167 million in 2010 to €323million in 2012, an increase of 93%. And these increases are continuing into 2013.

Russia is also showing dramatic growth as a market as is the continent of Africa where there is strong potential for increased exports. We now export over €500 million in agri-food to Africa. Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are our key markets.