Return to Chinese market for Irish beef exports welcomed by farming organisations

IFA President Francie Gorman has welcomed the announcement that Irish beef exports to China will resume.
The matter was raised by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during a meeting with the Chinese Premier Li Qiang last week.
“We are always seeking access to as many markets as possible and the Chinese market offers very significant opportunities. The renewal of access to this market must be reflected in further price increases for farmers,” he said.
Francie Gorman said the suspension last November was disappointing and IFA had said that it must be resolved quickly.
“Given the nature of the case which brought about the suspension, there shouldn’t have been any delay in regaining access,” he said.

“Beef farmers will hope the formalities are concluded as quickly as possible and that trade will resume,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, ICSA Beef chair Edmund Graham has said the resumption of beef exports to China is welcome but stressed that farmers must see a dividend as a result this time.

“We have fought hard once again to get Irish beef back into the Chinese market and the opportunity is there to really make that market count, and count for the primary producers of beef, not just the processors.
“The resumption of exports to China must lead to an increase in beef price,” he said.
Confirmation of the resumption of Irish beef access to China came from Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, and Minister of State, Martin Heydon TD following high level talks in Dublin between the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Chinese premier Li Qiang.

Continuing Mr Graham said, “Beef farmers are enduring yet another long, hard, and expensive winter and the current price of beef is still not enough to cover our increased cost of production.

“Beef price needs to go to a base price of a least €6.00/kg in the short term to cover the costs of this winter.”
“There will be optimism again now, but it is no use to us if it does not result in a price rise for beef producers. This opportunity must translate into a concrete rise in beef prices for it to be truly beneficial.”