Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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498. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which existing markets remain available to Irish food and food products after Brexit; if adequate new markets have been identified for exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42240/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been very active in securing access to new third country markets for Irish food companies, while at the same time, maintaining access to existing markets.

The agri-food sector has greatly increased the value of food and drink exports over the last number of years, to reach €13.6 billion in 2018. Bord Bia figures indicate that half of this growth has come from markets outside of Europe.

Encouragingly, exports to our more traditional and existing markets such as other EU states exceeded €4 billion for the second year running. Notably strong growth was evident in pigmeat, poultry and dairy exports to the EU, with export values increasing to the Netherlands, Italy and Spain in particular.

Market and trade insight suggest that global demand for Irish food and drink will remain positive to the end of 2019.

Developing market access and trade opportunities is a key part of this Department’s response to the challenges posed by Brexit, and is very much in line with the market development theme of Food Wise 2025. This strategy outlines the huge potential for growth in agri-food exports to new and emerging markets, particularly in Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Gulf region. However, it must also be acknowledged that this is a long-term strategy, and that new markets can take time to develop and grow.

Trade Missions play an important role in this work.  In March 2019, I visited Turkey to promote live animal exports while in May and June,  I visited China, South Korea and Japan, where agreement was reached in principle to allow access for Irish sheepmeat to the Japanese market. This development followed the announcement in May 2019 of the removal of the under-30 months restriction for Irish beef exports to Japan. This means that all Irish beef is now eligible for export to this very valuable market.

These, and the other missions that my Department are planning for the latter half of 2019 and early 2020, will also serve to enhance and improve our existing levels of market access.  The destinations are also in keeping with the market prioritisation exercise that was completed by Bord Bia in December 2017, at my request. This exercise identified opportunities in new and more mature markets and will provide valuable market intelligence both for industry operators and policy makers as we continue to navigate the very uncertain environment created by Brexit.

My Department will continue to seek out and identify new markets, and I am ready to respond as appropriate to other opportunities that may arise.