Brendan Gleeson from the Department gave a progress report on the all-important Chinese beef market, which is now at the point of awaiting factory inspections, at the Bord Bia meat marketing seminar. He wouldn’t be drawn on a time but was upbeat about progress. The importance of China was confirmed and expanded on by Richard Claxton from GIRA. He told the Irish Farmers Journal that future market opportunities for the Irish meat industry will be found in Asia – not just China but surrounding countries as well.

Pigmeat

Mick Sloyen from AHDB the English levy board dealt with the ups and downs of the pig industry over 2016, again focusing on the importance of China as a market outlet for exports.

He explained that in the short-term UK producers would be OK with Brexit as most of their production can be accommodated on the domestic market with the UK importing much more pigmeat than it exports.

Listen to Rupert Claxton from GIRA and Mick Sloyen from AHDB talking to our markets specialist Phelim O'Neill in the podcast below:

Listen to "Bord Bia meat marketing seminar 2017" on Spreaker.

Brexit

No event is complete without a Brexit session and this was provided by Adrian Gahan from Sancroft UK.

He has a considerable insight to the deliberations of the UK Conservative party which he shared and it was clear that he appreciated the complexities of the negotiations that lie ahead that the danger that Ireland faces in going over the cliff as well if there is a hard Brexit.

He urged the audience to do anything it can to persuade Government in Ireland and the UK to facilitate a measured approach and the role of the Irish Government as a facilitator will be critical in the negotiation.

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Positive growth for emergin markets for sheepmeat - Bord Bia

Performance of agribusiness shares in 2016