Access to the lucrative China market for Irish beef is taking a step closer.

Speaking at Bord Bia’s Meat Market seminar last Friday, Brendan Gleeson, assistant secretary general in the Department of Agriculture, said the process is now at the point of awaiting factory inspections. He would not be drawn on a time but was upbeat about progress.

The Irish Farmers Journal has learned significant details of how the process will take shape and what must be done before Irish beef ends up on shelves in the Asian giant.

Within a number of months a team of vets is expected to visit a sample of Irish processors. It is anticipated that between eight and 10 sites will be inspected by Chinese vets.

This would give an accurate representation of the system employed by the Irish beef processing sector.

The vets will then compile a report on their findings and send it to their superior with the Chinese department of agriculture equivalent.

It is understood that it could take a number of months before the vets’ superior reads and assesses the report. If all is found to be in order, Ireland is added to an approved list on the Chinese department of agriculture website. Only then can Irish beef be exported to be sold in China.

Listen to Rupert Claxton from GIRA and Mick Sloyen from AHDB talking to our markets specialist Phelim O'Neill at the Bord Bia Meat Market Seminar last week in the podcast below:

Listen to "Bord Bia meat marketing seminar 2017" on Spreaker.

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