Chinese food scientists are in Ireland this week doing further tests on the agriculture processes in Irish beef farms. Their presence is one of several inspections on Irish agricultural processing plants, and a step further towards an agreement with China on allowing Irish beef into the market there.
At present, no European countries are allowed sell beef in to China, following the mad cow disease crisis in 2000.
In the meantime, President Higgins is continuing his week-long state visit to Beijing and Shanghai; his trip is largely focused on developing further trade and investment, as well as political friendship and trust.
He met with President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, and China’s premier, Li Keqiang on Wednesday.
President Xi accepted an invitation to return to Ireland at the request of President Higgins. He last visited Ireland as vice president in 2011.
China is the second largest economy in the world, and growing. Earlier in the week, the president said he is “excited about China as a new hegemony”.
The Irish government, in particular the department of agriculture has made serious efforts in persuading the Chinese government to allow Irish beef on to the Chinese market.
Sources in both governments say that Irish have made successful inroads in the likely reversal of this policy. Sources in China, say they would be surprised if the Irish state is not the first European country to be given the green light to sell beef.
Intense dialogue on the matter has been taking place for a number of years, culminating in the Chinese inspector teams now auditing Ireland for agriculture processes.
“Ireland is well advanced in the discussions”, said Aidan Cotter CEO of Bord Bia who is accompanying the president. Several trade events in Shanghai and Beijing have been organised by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA.
The beef market is as big as around €51 billion; Ireland’s beef export in total is around €2 million, and so far, Irish plants have passed all of the tests applied at Irish meat factories.
President Higgins trip to China significantly ‘lifts the awareness of Ireland’ in the development of trade, and business, according to the several trade organisations accompanying the president.
Already, two-way trade between China and Ireland amount to approximately €8 billion.
Key areas of trade include the exportation of pharmaceuticals, baby milk formula, dairy, medical devices, with agriculture and other dairy products steadily growing.
Ireland imports around €5billion of textiles and organic chemicals, for processing in pharmaceutical companies from China.
Already, 91 indigenous Irish companies export software, financial software including merchandising software such as Dynamic currency conversion (DCC) products.
Ireland is also a global centre for aircraft leasing, and government agencies dealing with trade, including the IDA, point to the huge potential for expansion in this area, as the world economy recovers.
Other non-merchandise exports include insurance and tourism.
