On Sunday, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced following talks with the executive president of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority Professor Dr Hisham Saad Aljadhey that "enhanced access for Irish beef to Saudi” had been secured.

Irish beef processors already have existing access to the Saudi market. The agreement announced on Sunday means that processed, cooked, minced and bone-in beef can also be shipped to Saudi from Ireland.

On Monday, Bord Bia chief executive Tara McCarthy confirmed that actions have already taken place with regard to following up on the diplomatic breakthrough. The food board said it sees opportunities for Irish beef “in casual dining and quick service restaurants, as well as in international standard supermarkets and in fine dining”.

Trade mission

McCarthy was talking in Dubai on the second leg of a trade mission to the Gulf States on Monday night.

“We will be targeting a further six key retail buyers and distributors to visit Ireland to meet with suitable suppliers and to see at first-hand the excellent standards at each stage of our beef production. Bord Bia will partner with one major foodservice supplier to share research on consumer attitudes,” she said.

McCarthy said that the food board will be placing a person in the Saudi market to help develop new markets for exporters. In 2016, some €136m of food was shipped to Saudi Arabia with the vast majority being dairy produce.

“Bord Bia also plans for the first time to place a dedicated person in Riyadh to undertake commercial projects for Irish exporters.

“This person will be chosen from Bord Bia’s well-established Marketing Fellowship programme, which sees high potential and ambitious professionals work in key export markets,” she said.

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