The Minister commented “this agreement provides the Irish pigmeat sector with a vital foothold in this key market. Vietnam is an important market in South East Asia with a growing population and there are good prospects for Irish meat exports both in the short and long term. I am hopeful that the decision of the Vietnamese authorities will also have a positive effect on our efforts to gain access to other markets in the region”.

Access to the Vietnamese market has been identified as a priority target by the Irish pigmeat industry.

The Minister confirmed that this agreement was concluded after a concerted technical and diplomatic effort by his department, in conjunction with the Irish Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the National Agro-Forestry Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD).

The agreement means that a total of five Irish pig processing establishments have been accredited to produce pork for export to Vietnam, while another establishment has been approved for cutting. A veterinary health certificates has also been agreed.

IFA Pigs Committee Chairman Pat O’Flaherty has welcomed the announcement by Minister Coveney but said more must be done to secure a resolution to the Russian market debacle which has cost EU farmers up to an estimated 20c/kg on every pig sold since January.

IFA Pigs Committee Chairman Pat O'Flaherty said “Pig prices have fallen by 16c/kg (10%) over the last six weeks and these falls have been directly attributed to difficulties in our pig meat export markets.”

“Considering that it is pig farmers’ incomes that have been negatively impacted by the downturn in export trade over the last six weeks, pig farmers’ returns must be first to benefit from this new access,” O’Flaherty continued.

'The IFA pigs committee have requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss the Russian ban among other important issues affecting farmers, concluded Mr O'Flaherty.

- updated at 15.30