France main eurozone market for Irish food and drinks industry

FRANCE is still the principal eurozone market for Ireland’s food and drink industry, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith has told a business grouping in Paris.

He was speaking at a Bord Bia trade reception in the Irish Embassy in Paris. He also took the opportunity to congratulate Bord Bia on its unique system for tracing the carbon footprint of Irish beef exports.

Mr Smith said: “France remains the leading eurozone market for Irish food and drink products and is one of our biggest customers for lamb, seafood, beef and whiskey. Encouragingly, Irish food and drink exports to France grew by 2.5% in the first eight months of this year and I would like to thank French buyers and Irish suppliers their commitment during 2010.”

The minister said that the level of support provided by Bord Bia to individual food and drink companies cannot be underestimated and he also launched two directories — European Ingredients Directory and a Directory of French Logistics Service Providers and Sales & Marketing Distributors, compiled by Bord Bia, which he said would provide an invaluable source of information for companies doing business in mainland Europe.

The minister also congratulated Bord Bia on the incorporation of environmental criteria into their Beef Quality Assurance Scheme and impending accreditation to the international specification PAS 2050. Farms participating in this scheme will be tracked to objectively demonstrate their green production credentials.