NI pork exports to China could be worth £10m a year

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill today announced that the north has been provisionally recommended for approval to export pork to China, a move that could be worth £10m a year to the economy.

Welcoming the announcement as a step forward and a boost to the local agri-food industry, the Minister said: “I am delighted that China’s certification agency, the CNCA has announced its intention to approve plants in the north of Ireland to export pork subject to them completing some remedial actions identified as part of their audit earlier this year.

Final approval is expected once Karro Food Group and Dunbia intend to export complete additional work at their factories.

In order to be eligible to export pork to China, interested plants must first be inspected by CNCA technical experts, undertake any remedial action identified and then be listed on the CNCA website. The CNCA inspection team visited the north in April 2015.

"My officials are working closely with the two pork processors to ensure this work is progressed expeditiously and to a very high standard.

Minister O’Neill continued: “This welcome step forward follows my third visit to China in June which was focused on negotiating these vital pork approvals. I am pleased that my efforts have borne fruit. Securing approval was also made possible by us hosting two inward inspections by Chinese officials in April of this year.”

A separate team of inspectors from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) also visited the north in April 2015 to audit additional pork products for export. The final approval for exports of trotters is expected in the coming months.

Illustrating the benefits to the pork industry of the north, the Minister added: “The commencement of pork exports to China will represent a major boost for the local pork industry which has been seeking to gain access to this market for several years.

"It will also provide lasting long term benefits to the wider agri-food sector and to the economy of the north as a whole. I also look forward to the north being able to extend this trade in the future to cover the export of pig trotters and additional pork products, which are not readily consumable on the domestic market. This will add value to the carcase for producers and processors alike.

“I, and my Department, continue to invest much time and energy into opening new markets to expand the agri-food industry in the north and I look forward to making more positive announcements on market opportunities in the future.”

The recommendation of provisional approval to export pork represents the most recent tangible outcome in the Minister’s long-term engagement strategy based on the Executive Agri-Food Strategy and also represents achievement in securing access to one of the primary new markets outlined in the Going for Growth initiative.

China is expected to become the world’s leading consumer of pigmeat on a per capita basis, surpassing the European Union, by 2022.