DAERA waiting on new pork markets

DAERA is waiting on a response from Chinese officials surrounding final approval for exports of NI pork, agriculture, environment and rural affairs Minister Michelle McIlveen said in the Assembly this week.

Northern Ireland received provisional approval for pork exports to China last November with pork exports expected to begin following remedial actions being undertaken in the two NI pork processing plants that were identified by Chinese officials during inspections last year.

“My Department awaits a response from China on the remedial actions our pork processors have taken following the inspection in April 2015,” the minister said.

Poultry litter AD plant announced

An anaerobic digestion (AD) plant that will use nitrogen-stripping technology to operate on 100% poultry litter is to be built at Tully Quarry near Ballymena.

The £23m project is being developed by Stream BioEnergy Ltd and will process 40,000t of poultry litter each year to produce biogas and generate 3MW of electricity.

The project was developed under the Sustainable Use of Poultry Litter scheme. This is the second project being developed to use the 270,000t of poultry litter produced in NI each year.