Donegal TDs Joe McHugh and Thomas Pringle have welcomed news that Donegal producers can begin to export live brown crab to China within the next three to four weeks.
The news follows a meeting between Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed and Chinese Minister Zhi Shuping in Dublin. The meeting also set in train plans to export Irish beef to China.
“It is very good news for our seafood producers to hear that an agreement has been reached,” Deputy Pringle said.
Minister Creed met today wth Minister Zhi and agreed a form of export certificate that will satisfy the Chinese authorities and means that this export business that is important for Irish and Donegal exporters can resume.
Deputy Pringle said: “The gross loss to our export sales was close to €5 million in 2016.
“The business could have continued to grow into 2017 and it will be important now that exporters can recover the market as soon as possible and this important export market can get back to normal.
“I am concerned that it took almost a year and a half to reach this solution on China’s ban on our Live Brown Crab imports, while other countries that were also affected by the ban have resolved this diplomatic issue an awful lot quicker.
“The UK ended the ban within 12 months and France had it resolved after only 8 months. That’s because their Governments took the ban seriously and engaged in the necessary diplomatic approach.”
Deputy McHugh said that today’s meeting was ‘great news for all food sectors here in Donegal.’
He said: “I arranged a meeting a few weeks ago between one of this county’s main live crab exporters and Minister Creed so that the importance of this sector to our county could be emphasised again.
“The bilateral meetings today have come about following numerous meetings between officials from both countries.
“This is good news for Killybegs and for brown crab fishermen and exporters.
“But it also good news for Donegal beef farmers.”
Minister Creed said he was very pleased to welcome Minister Zhi to Ireland this morning as a follow-up to negotiations in Beijing last September.
Minister Creed said today: “China is now such an important partner for Ireland on agri-food issues and is our third largest trading partner in this sector.
“Whilst we had constructive discussions on a wide range of issues, I am especially delighted today to have signed this Beef Protocol with China. This marks another major milestone in the process of getting Irish beef into the Chinese market.
“Today’s signing marks the culmination of intensive political, technical and diplomatic engagement with the Chinese authorities. I look forward to moving forward with the next steps as quickly as possible”
The Ministers also signed a protocol to facilitate trade in thoroughbred horses for an emerging racing sector in China.
On live crabs, the Ministers have agreed an export certificate which will permit the resumption of exports to the critically important Chinese market.
The Irish seafood sector has been extremely anxious to resolve a number of certification issues which have hampered the trade.
Exports are expected to begin from Donegal to China in the next three to four weeks.
Tags: