Farm organisations are welcoming the announcement today (Thursday, January 5) that Irish beef exports can resume to China after almost three years.

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) said that the reopening of the Chinese market "presents the beef sector with a huge opportunity".

IFA president Tim Cullinan said the Chinese market was showing strong potential before the suspension of market access in 2020.

"It is important that eligibility is secured for all Irish beef products and that market opportunity is not restrictive. The protocol must now be worked on to allow beef products from all Irish livestock," Cullinan added.

Meanwhile, IFA livestock chairperson 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.

"The production costs on beef farms are well documented and beef prices must now push on to offset these costs," Golden added.

Beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation in May 2020 of an isolated case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

This isolated case did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health.

Nevertheless, beef exports were immediately suspended as a precautionary measure in line with the bilateral protocol on trade agreed with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

Speaking this morning (Thursday, January 5), Minister McConalogue stated: “Negotiating the resumption of beef access has been a top priority for my department over the last two and a half years.

“Earlier this year, as a result of my communication with my counterpart in charge of GACC, our officials engaged in further bilateral talks to finalise the restoration of beef access based on scientific principles," the minister added.

He said that Ireland can resume exporting beef to China under the same conditions as before the 2020 suspension.