China to send inspection team to Ireland
The breakthrough agreement was announced by Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Ireland, following a series of meetings in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart Han Changfu, and the Chinese minister responsible for market access, Zhi Shuping.
Coveney said the agreement followed "intensive technical engagement between my Department and the relevant Chinese Authorities over the past two years".
The Chinese visit will include full systems and plant audits of all aspects of the beef inspection system in Ireland.
"The question of beef access has also been raised at the highest political levels, and I am delighted that we were in a position to advance this process during my visit to China," said Coveney.
The Irish Minister has been taking part in the largest ever agri-food trade mission to China, this week.
He added: "While we must respect the Chinese process of technical evaluation, I am delighted that we have moved to this stage and that we have the opportunity to prove first hand, our credentials as a safe secure supplier of world class beef. Demand for beef in China is expected to rise by 1m tonnes over the next five years, and I am determined that Irish farmers and processors should have access to this critically important market."
The Minister was also successful in achieving the first milestone in Ireland’s campaign to secure access for its sheepmeat.
He continued: "I was delighted to formally submit to AQSIQ the questionnaire marking the first step in securing access for Irish sheepmeat to China. Obtaining the green light from China to move to this stage represents an important milestone, and with growing Chinese demand for high quality lamb I believe Irish producers are well placed to take advantage of the market opportunity if we can progress this quickly."
