Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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261. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the barriers for beef exports to Iran in view of the fact that a veterinary health certificate for the export of beef was agreed in 2013. [15784/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Total Irish agrifood exports to Iran in 2017 were around €11.5 million, the majority of which (€10.25 million) was accounted for by dairy exports. According to the CSO, 26 tonnes of beef were exported to Iran in 2017.  

 The role of my Department is to open up markets for the industry and it is then up to the industry, with the support of my Department and Bord Bia, to avail of these opportunities. However, the actual levels of exports will depend on a range of factors, including global supply and demand dynamics, currency fluctuations and individual customer requirements.  

 A veterinary health certificate for the export of beef from Ireland to Iran was agreed in March 2013.  DAFM officials participated in a successful trade mission to Iran and Turkey in April 2016.  While the trade mission was primarily dairy-focused, DAFM officials had the opportunity to meet with their Iranian counterparts in order to progress and ultimately agree sheepmeat access to the Iranian market and also to explore other common areas of interest. 

Limited exports to Iran can be explained by a combination of unfavourable trading conditions, cheaper supplies of beef from Brazil to the Iranian market, and financial barriers.  Work is on-going within the EU to devise measures to overcome financial barriers to trade between the EU and Iran.