Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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172. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the new markets that have been opened up for farmers in each farming sector; the potential benefits these will deliver; the timeframe for delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60834/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Securing new market access and enhancing access to existing markets outside the EU is fundamental to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the meat and milk sectors which are the mainstays of primary agriculture in Ireland.

For example, dairy exports exceeded €5 billion in 2021 for the third consecutive year. This impressive performance was based on strong market returns across the core categories of butter, cheese and powders and a diversified market spread which helped sustain strong demand during the year.

Much progress has been made in the last decade in expanding the reach of Irish agri-food exports to consumers worldwide. Selling into international markets is challenging but developing and diversifying new markets continues to be a top priority for my Department, in cooperation with Bord Bia.

Generally speaking, opening, retaining and developing new international markets is a lengthy process over many years involving completion of detailed questionnaires on official controls, hosting inward inspections of exporting establishments and negotiation of certification arrangements with importing countries. It also requires an intensive programme of Government-to-Government meetings and technical discussions, as well as utilising the network of agricultural attachés located in Irish Embassies around the globe.

Ministerial trade missions are a major element of the Government's strategy to develop and diversify the meat and dairy markets. Minister of State Martin Heydon and I have led four trade missions this year to destinations as diverse as the Gulf Region, north America, Japan and Singapore, and Vietnam.

During those visits, we discussed market access issues with counterparts in those countries and raised the profile of Irish agri-food exports.

My Department hosted inward meat inspection missions from Thailand, Malaysia and the United States in 2022. Two of these were aimed at gaining new market access and I was pleased to announce last month that the Malaysian market is now open for pig meat exports.

My officials are continuing to work on beef access with their Thai counterparts. Advance planning is now underway on scheduling visits by Mexican and Vietnamese auditors in 2023.

While my Department’s role is to open up international markets in consultation with stakeholders, it is  for industry - with the support of my officials and Bord Bia’s marketing expertise - to develop the potential opportunities available to it in those markets. The timeframe for reaping the benefits is always a commercial decision for export enterprises.