The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed has today, Tuesday, May 12, announced that Ireland has secured access for the export of pigmeat to Mexico.

Minister Creed stated, “I am very pleased that my department’s work in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico, Bord Bia and other industry stakeholders has been rewarded with a successful outcome.

“Gaining access for pigmeat exports to Mexico highlights again the value of investing in strategic relationships in priority markets. Credit is due in particular to the Embassy of Ireland in Mexico, Ambassador Barbara Jones and my department’s agricultural attaché in the embassy, Gráinne Roughan, for their contribution,” the minister added.

This development follows a number of steps undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Bord Bia and the Embassy of Ireland, in cooperation with the pig industry.

Some of these, according to the department, are

  • In June 2017, Minister Creed led Ireland’s first ever trade mission to Mexico;
  • In November 2018, the Mexican authorities inspected operational facilities and official controls at Irish processing plants and coldstores;
  • Last year, the department seconded an agricultural attaché to the Irish Embassy in Mexico City, to support and develop the embassy’s focus on agri-food trade opportunities and market access.

The central American country is a large consumer market, with a population of 120 million. Pork is highly regarded by consumers as a healthy source of protein and is consumed on a daily basis in a variety of dishes.

Imports currently account for 38% of total pigmeat consumption, with further growth anticipated. The scale of these imports makes Mexico the third-largest global importer of pigmeat.

Securing this access, particularly in light of the recently agreed EU-Mexico Global Agreement, which will significantly reduce tariff barriers to trade, will provide new export market opportunities for Irish pigmeat and the wider sector as it continues to respond to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the department outlined in a statement.

Access to more non-EU markets should bolster the profile of Irish pigmeat products in international markets, which were worth €275 million, or 31%, of the total value of Irish pigmeat exports in 2019, the department notes.