Japanese beef decision will help ‘speed up access to China market’

A decision by Japan to reopen its market to Irish beef is a major boost to efforts to access the multi -million euro Chinese markets for thousands of cattle farmers.

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said the Government will send a team to China next week to pursue the issue and engage in negotiations on lifting the ban on Irish beef products imposed since the outbreak of BSE in 2000.

He was speaking in Tokyo after the announcement that the beef trade will reopen with Japan from today, with the potential of yielding €15m for the Irish economy every year.