McConalogue to lead first post-pandemic full ministerial Chinese trade mission

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue is to lead the first full ministerial trade mission to China since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The trade mission, which is in cooperation with Bord Bia, will include events in both Beijing and Shanghai and will feature government to government meetings.
It will also include Bord Bia meetings with leading customers for Irish food and participation in SIAL Shanghai, the world’s largest food and beverage trade show.
The minister will also launch Bord Bia-led EU Dairy and Meat Promotion Seminars during the trade mission, as well as promotional events for Irish Whiskey and Irish seafood, and Enterprise Ireland events.
China is Ireland’s sixth-largest trade destination for food and drink by value, accounting for 4% of all exports.
Total agri-food product exports to China in 2022 amounted to over €722 million, which represents a 76% increase over the last decade, according to CSO trade statistics.

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Speaking ahead of the trade mission, Mr McConalogue said he is delighted to lead the first full in-person trade mission to China following the lifting of pandemic travel restrictions.
He said he was particularly looking forward to supporting the re-entry of Irish beef on the Chinese market following the lifting of restrictions by China earlier this year.
“This trade mission provides us with an important opportunity to promote our, safe, high quality, sustainably produced meat, dairy, seafood and beverages in a market which has huge potential,” he said.
Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole said: “A growing middle class with high disposable incomes in Chinese cities is creating an aspirational consumer base with an increasing interest in premium food products and access to sophisticated digital retail platforms. Irish exporters are ideally placed to service these consumer demands.”