Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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384. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which indicators in respect of Food Harvest 2020 and Food Wise 2025 remain in line with expectations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23096/16]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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387. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he expects agriculture production to increase throughout each sector in the next four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23099/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 387 together.

Food Wise 2025, the new ten year strategy for the agrifood sector published in July last year, is the successor to the Food Harvest strategy. It identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to grow and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development and competitiveness; as well as specific sectorial recommendations.

If these recommendations are implemented, the expert committee which drew up the Food Wise 2025 Strategy believes that the following growth projections are achievable by 2025: increasing the value of agrifood exports by 85% to €19 billion; increasing value added in the sector by 70% to in excess of €13 billion; and increasing the value of primary production by 65% to almost €10 billion. With regard to employment, Food Wise foresees the creation of 23,000 additional jobs in the agrifood sector all along the supply chain from primary production to high value added product development.

Last week I launched the first annual progress report of Food Wise 2025: Steps to Success 2016. Food Wise Steps to Success showed that, of the 330 detailed actions which were due to commence in 2015 or 2016, 28% have been achieved or substantial action has been undertaken; and a further 67% have commenced and are progressing well. I believe that this is a good start and I will press on to get as many actions as possible completed within the next year.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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385. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which new markets for beef, lamb, pigmeat or poultry or products thereof continue to be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23097/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Irish agrifood exports have increased from less than €8 billion in 2010 to an estimated €10.8 billion in 2015. 2015 was also a very successful year for meat exports. According to Bord Bia, overall exports of beef, sheepmeat, pigmeat and poultry increased by €140 million to more than €3.5 billion. The target in Food Wise 2025 is to increase the overall value of agrifood exports by 85% to €19 billion by 2025. My Department works very closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bord Bia, the industry and the European Commission on a wide range of market access issues. The Department continually monitors trade statistics produced by Bord Bia and the CSO, in order to analyse the destination of exports and, together with industry, to identify new market opportunities. Third Country markets are an increasingly important alternative outlet for the industry. The development of new and alternative markets, given the changing global demographics and emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere, is a crucial component of the Food Wise 2025 Strategy. As an exporting country, accessing new markets is crucial to the long-term sustainability of our agri sector.

In the medium and long term global demographics will result in strong global demand for meat products and my role as Minister is to facilitate market access so that Irish exporters can take advantage of business opportunities as they arise. Taken together these factors provide a great opportunity for increasing the exports of high quality, safe and sustainably produced Irish meat, production.

In recent weeks a notable success included the decision of the US authorities to extend their approval for Irish beef to include manufacturing beef/beef intended for grinding (BIFG). This marks the culmination of over a year of intensive work between my Department and its US counterparts on a range of technical matters. I was also very pleased that the US is now proposing to change the regulations which restricted the importation of sheepmeat from the European Union due to TSE. This announcement is a critical first step and my Department is already working to complete specific veterinary technical documentation demanded by the US so that Irish sheepmeat will be well placed to take advantage of this latest development.

I am acutely aware of the need to develop as many market outlets as possible for Irish beef, lamb, pig meat and poultry products. I will continue to work with stakeholders to raise the profile of the Irish agri-food sector generally, in emerging markets in the Far East, North Africa, the Gulf States and elsewhere. In this context I intend to lead a Trade Mission to China, Vietnam and Singapore in September to further promote Irish food and drink in the region. My Department has also re-configured its network of agricultural attachés abroad, with an enhanced role in relation in agrifood trade and Bord Bia is also presently expanding its network of offices abroad, with a focus on new and emerging markets. This will also enhance our identification of new markets abroad.