Agriculture, Food and the Marine | New markets continue to be established for Irish food and food products

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the extent to which new markets continue to be established for Irish food and food products; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

A key focus of Food Vision 2030, the Irish agri-food sector’s 10-year strategic plan, is to grow the value of our agri-food exports on international markets. Food Vision identifies a number of actions targeted at realising this growth ambition. These actions include new market diversification and promotion activities. 

My Department works closely with Bord Bia and Irish agri-food sector to realise new opportunities particularly in markets with growing middle-class populations and rising disposable incomes. These markets are characterised by consumers with a significant demand for the high-quality, sustainable and safe food produced by the Irish agri-food sector.

Ministerial Trade Missions represent an important activity in establishing new markets for our food produce overseas.  In 2023,  Trade Missions were undertaken to China, Nigeria, Senegal, Malaysia and the Philippines as well as established European market in UK, France and Germany.

In 2024 Ministerial trade missions have already been undertaken to Germany, focused on the organic sector, to the US, focussed on dairy and beverages, and to Spain, with a focus on seafood.

Further Trade Missions in 2024 are planned to China & Korea in September and to Thailand & Vietnam in October.

In late 2023 I also joined An Taoiseach and other Ministers on the first Whole of Government Trade Mission to South Korea. A key objective of this Trade Mission was to progress Ireland’s market access application for beef exports to Korea.  I am pleased to confirm that this market access application, to the world’s fifth largest global importer of beef, was concluded in March 2024 after a detailed audit of seven Irish meat processing plants by the Korean authorities.

This successful market access application is another clear example of the the Government’s commitment to supporting the Irish agri-food sector in opening new markets for the high quality, sustainable food produced by our farmers, fishers and food processors.