The news that NI pork exports to China have finally begun is a very welcome development for the local pig sector, given that the trade (mainly of offal) could be worth over £10m per year to the local economy.

However, there is no hiding the fact that this deal has been a long time in the making, and it highlights the type of challenges that lie ahead for the UK outside of the EU, especially when it comes to the trade in agri-related goods. It is one thing getting political agreement on a trade deal, another issue entirely making sure all the veterinary standards are in place to the satisfaction of both parties.

It is now over five years since authorities here started to explore the possibility of an agreement with China to export pig products from NI. In April 2015, Chinese inspectors came to visit, and later that year their inspection authority announced that it intended to grant export approval to two local pig factories. In the meantime, any deficiencies they had identified in our controls were rectified.

But it took nearly two years for approval to finally come through in August of this year, and a further three months to get all the administrative processes in place.

To be fair to the Chinese, it is understandable that they would want to protect their home industry, make sure everything is to their satisfaction, and ensure the timing is on their terms – we would want our inspectors to do the same in reverse.

It should also be acknowledged that DAERA vets put a lot of time and effort into getting this deal over the line, and the delays are not down to them.

That points to a further critical issue going forward. If the current British government is to deliver trade deals after Brexit, it will need to put the proper resources in place. In recent years, and despite the opportunities (such as China) that already exist, officials in Whitehall with a focus on trade have been thin on the ground.