Ireland: Massive opportunity in the Chinese market must see higher beef prices

Despite welcoming the reopening of the Chinese market to Irish beef, the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), Pat McCormack has warned that the job is only “half done”. The development and growth of food exports to China must be a priority, however the ICMSA president questioned whether this “huge opportunity” would translate back into a return for farmers. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has announced the resumption of Irish beef exports to China under the same conditions as before the 2020 suspension today (Thursday, January 5). McCormack said China’s decision to suspend shipments of Irish beef following an isolated case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in May 2020 has always been “disappointing”. Advertisement Beef prices He criticised that “far too often” a new market has been announced or reopened without any underlying effect or message for the people producing the food. “If the reopening of ...