Volumes of Irish beef could be arriving in China in early 2018, Bord Bia's beef and livestock sector manager Joe Burke has said.

Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships, he said that the Irish beef industry is “optimistic” that Irish beef will be in China by early next year.

“This could in some manner insulate us maybe from some of the effects on our reliance on the UK market.

“Only a few weeks ago we had out final stage in the process of gaining approval in order to be able to start sending volumes of Irish beef into the market.

“That won’t happen straight away, they have to still endorse and go through the inspection visits and agree on a final certificate,” he said.

Earlier this month, a delegation of Chinese inspectors were in Ireland visiting meat plants.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at the Ploughing, the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, said: “We’re responding to what the Chinese asks are.

“I’m satisfied that in respect of all of the asks they’ve put to us to date, that we’ve been able to meet their requirements.

“An awful lot of effort is going into this, but at the moment we’re waiting on China to come back to us as a result of their recent audit visit.

“I’m satisfied we will clear all the hurdles.”

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Irish beef to China in 'final furlong'