The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) has said the resumption of beef exports to China is welcome, but stressed that farmers must see a dividend as a result.

ICSA beef chair Edmund Graham said that there was much optimism about the initial opening of the Chinese market in 2018 and there will be optimism again now, but it is no use to us if it does not result in a price rise.

“Beef farmers are enduring a long, hard and expensive winter and the current price of beef is simply nowhere near good enough to cover our increased cost of production.

"Beef price needs to go to a base price of a least €6.00/kg in the short term to cover the costs of this winter," he said.

He also argued that the reopening of this market should allow for better prices because meat factories will have more options.

"They will therefore be in a stronger position to negotiate with EU supermarkets and this opportunity must be used to drive a better price for farmers," he said.

Opportunity

Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan has said the reopening of the Chinese market, after a lot of hard work, presents the beef sector with a huge opportunity in what was a market showing strong growth potential before the suspension of access in May 2020.

The IFA president said the full value of the Chinese beef market must now be developed.

“It is important that eligibility is secured for all Irish beef products and the market opportunity is not restrictive. The protocol must now be worked on to allow beef products from all Irish livestock,” he said.

IFA livestock chair Brendan Golden said the long-awaited reopening of the Chinese market to Irish beef is significant and we must see the benefits of this renewed access directly in stronger beef prices for cattle finishers.

He said the production costs on beef farms are well documented and beef prices must now push on to offset these costs.

‘Meaningless’ without price increase

While welcoming the reopening of the Chinese market for Irish beef, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Pat McCormack warned that it will be “meaningless” unless it results in a price increase for beef farmers.

“We have been here far too often, where a new market is announced or a reopening of temporarily closed market is confirmed, without any underlying effect or message for the people who will be doing the work and producing the food that will be exported to that market,” he said.

The Tipperary farmer suggested that if this “huge” opportunity doesn’t translate back into an improved beef price, then it “just becomes an empty marketing exercise”.

“While we sincerely congratulate Minister McConalogue, Minister of State Heydon and Ambassador Derwin on their work and achievements, the job is only half done,” he said.