Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

197. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts his Department has made to develop beef access to China; and when he anticipates trade will commence. [18537/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The recent opening of the Chinese beef market to Irish beef is hugely significant for the Irish beef industry, all along the chain from farmers through to processors and exporters.  It marks the culmination of a number of years work involving my Department, the Irish Embassy in Beijing and with the close co-operation of the Chinese Ambassador in Dublin and his Embassy staff, Bord Bia, and the industry itself. 

The BSE ban was lifted for Irish beef by the Chinese authorities in 2015 and a successful AQSIQ inspection visit, focused on competent authority systems, followed in 2016.  Following this, I signed a protocol on the export of frozen beef from Ireland to China with the AQSIQ Minister Zhi Shuping in Dublin in April 2017. The next step was a Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) inspection in August/September 2017 to assess individual processing plants.

The final report of the CNCA Inspection issued in March 2018 and following intensive negotiations between Irish and Chinese officials on a number of issues, I was pleased to announce the opening of the market last week, initially for three plants.

There remain a number of technicalities to be finalised now that these initial plant approvals have been granted. However, my Department has, in conjunction with industry, been working for sometime towards ensuring that trade with China can commence and run smoothly. This includes amendments to IT systems and an SI to allow access to information. These are due to be finalised in a matter of weeks. In addition the approved plants will have to deal with their own technicalities including testing requirements.   

While I expect that the trade will commence this summer; it is of course a matter for industry to decide how and when to pursue the opportunities offered. The role of my Department is to open the door to allow trade to commence. Next month I will lead a Government agri-food trade mission to China and Hong Kong. The timing of this Trade Mission is particularly opportune, given the recent progress on access.