First post-pandemic agri-food trade mission to China gets underway
The focus of the trip, which will be led by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, is about raising the profile of Irish food and drink with customers in Beijing and Shanghai through a series of events. Picture: Damien Storan
The first post-pandemic full ministerial trade mission to China in cooperation with Bord Bia will take place this week.
Bord Bia will host 14 Irish exporters on the trade mission.
The focus of the trip, which will be led by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, is on raising the profile of Irish food and drink with customers in Beijing and Shanghai through a series of events, and supporting the 14 Irish meat and dairy companies representing Ireland at SIAL, the largest food and drink trade show in China.
Speaking ahead of the trade mission, Mr McConalogue said that with the resumption of Irish beef exports to the Chinese market, this is an "excellent opportunity to further promote the sector in China and to communicate Ireland’s grass-fed and premium farming credentials for both meat and dairy".
"It is timely that it is our first trip to China in three years as it comes amid an improved economic outlook plus a growing demand for value-added dairy ingredients to complement the fast-growing Chinese dairy sector," he added.
In 2022, total agri-food exports to China were valued at €722m, of which €683m represented food and drink.
This positions China as Ireland’s sixth largest trade destination for food and drink by value, accounting for 4% of all exports.
Mr McConalogue said that the potential for growing the value of Irish trade with the Chinese market is "critically important to the development ambitions of the sector which ultimately supports the sustainability of our family farm model".
Bord Bia chief executive Jim O’Toole said that in addition to the positive economic drivers, there is a range of consumer trends and changing behaviours in the Chinese market that are driving opportunities for Irish exports.
"China has one of the largest populations in the world and its GDP per capita has increased tenfold in the last 20 years, making it the world’s second-largest economy today," he said.
"Irish exporters are ideally placed to service these consumer demands, as Ireland’s focus on sustainably-produced high-quality food and drink exports offers the perfect solution to this growing Chinese market."
The focus of the trade mission will include the upcoming promotion of Irish beef and pigmeat across China in both retail – online and in-store – and foodservice channels.
Promoting Irish dairy will also be a focus, along with the seafood and drink industries.
Minister McConalogue will also hold government-to-government meetings with counterparts in the General Administration of Customs China and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
