China to allow return of Irish beef

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has announced the resumption of Irish beef exports to China. Beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation in May 2020 of an isolated case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). This isolated case did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health. Nevertheless, beef exports were immediately suspended as a precautionary measure in line with the bilateral protocol on trade agreed with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC). Speaking this morning (Thursday, January 5), Minister McConalogue stated: “Negotiating the resumption of beef access has been a top priority for my department over the last two and a half years. Advertisement “Together with colleagues in the Embassy of Ireland in Beijing, my officials have been in ongoing contact with the Chinese authorities since the start of the suspension. They provided the necessary technical information for ...