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Progress on prospects for beef market access to Chinese market - Coveney

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney is this week hosting a visit from Chinese Vice Minister Gao Hongbin, from the Chinese Agriculture Ministry.

Following his arrival on Tuesday, Vice Minister Gao and his delegation attended a meeting and working dinner with Minister Coveney in the Dáil to discuss plans for deepening co-operation in a number of areas. On the question of beef market access Minister Gao confirmed that arrangements are being made by the Chinese authorities to send a full technical team to Ireland in the next four weeks to examine at first hand the controls applying to beef production. Minister Coveney welcomed this very significant step forward and expressed confidence that the Irish control system would provide the necessary reassurances to the Chinese experts.

Minister Coveney said:

The People’s Republic of China is already a significant trading partner and Ireland’s exports to China have expanded very significantly in recent years. In addition, the number of Irish companies that have established themselves in the country has grown steadily. I believe that we have much to offer China, in terms of quality food products, technology, at both processing and primary production level and expertise in the design and application of public health control systems. Visits such as this one are vital in building the kind of confidence in the quality of our produce and the reliability of our food safety and veterinary control systems that will underpin future trade in agri food products.

Read the full press release here.