China’s top beef buyers on way

Meat Industry Ireland (MII) will work with its members and the Department of Agriculture to ensure plant audits move ahead as swiftly as possible, following the Chinese decision to re-open its market to Irish beef after an absence of 15 years.

MII sources said, “While we understand that the lifting of the ban relates to beef from under 30 months old cattle, MII will be pushing to ensure that the access relates to bone-in and boneless beef and also to beef offals. Increasing the age threshold will also be important.”

A Bord Bia agreement with the China Meat Association, has enabled Irish exporters to engage with potential buyers. Exporters also took part in the Bord Bia organised trade missions to China in April, 2012 and November, 2014.

Some of China’s top beef buyers will visit beef and sheep meat export plants in Ireland in the coming weeks, to see the standards of production, processing and regulatory control.

They will also meet beef exporters at the Bord Bia Marketplace International business development event on March 26.

The Chinese beef trade breakthrough follows the resumption of exports to the US, with two plants already approved to export beef to the States, and a third nearing approval. Over the coming months, many other plants will go through the US approval process.

In the last year, agreements have been reached with Japan, Lebanon, Philippines, Namibia and New Caledonia for the export of Irish beef. Work is ongoing with Korea.