Irish beef and pork now has access to Ukraine, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed told the 21st meeting of the Food Wise 2025 High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC) on Thursday.

“This agreement follows on from bilateral negotiations between my Department and the Ukrainian authorities, with the assistance of the Irish embassy in Prague. The opening of this new market is a reflection of the confidence the Ukrainian authorities have in the high standards of food safety and the rigorous controls in Ireland. It marks another important step in the development of Ireland’s agri-food links with Ukraine,” he said.

Details on these new arrangements for trading with the Ukraine are being added to the Department’s market access portal and a trader notice will issue for processors and exporters shortly.

Visit

Ireland hosted a visit from Ukrainian officials in June 2018, at which details on the Department’s controls and its traceability system (AIM) were presented to the officials, which helped to progress negotiations.

Ireland’s ambassador to Ukraine also met the head of the SSUFCP, Dr Volodymyr Lapa, in mid-November 2018 to discuss the veterinary health certificates.

The market is now being opened to beef and pork and pork products. DAFM understands that offals are covered under the terms of the certificates.

Irish agri-food exports to Ukraine amounted to €10.5m in 2018 of which around two-thirds is accounted for by fish exports. Ireland imported around €53m worth of agri-food products from Ukraine, 90% of which is accounted for by cereals and cereal preparations.

The Irish embassy in Prague is currently accredited to Ukraine but DFAT plans to open an embassy in Kiev before the end of 2020 as part of the Global Ireland 2025 strategy.