Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, will lead part of a Bord Bia trade mission in Mexico focusing on new opportunities for the Irish pig sector.
Speaking to Agriland about the mission which will take place next week (April 25), Minster for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that focusing on developing a potential market for the pig industry in the country will be a key part of the operation.
“That’s going to be an important aspect. What we’ve seen in the pig sector recently has resulted from unique circumstances with the reduced demand particularly in China, coupled with the impact of the Ukrainian conflict and supply chain for grain,” he said.
The minister reiterated that there is already a strong markets for Irish pigmeat, but the department along with Bord Bia want to strengthen and develop them further:
“Mexico is one of those emerging markets, so we hope to use the coming week to make progress and build relationships there that will open up more markets.”
He added that he hopes market trends start to reflect the significant cost challenges that pig farmers are currently faced with, and stated that he is aware of how important supporting them at this time is:
“It is a very sustainable part of out agri-food industry, the third largest sector within it, and we want to ensure that it stays that way.”
US trade mission
While Minster Heydon is in Mexico, Minister McConalogue will travel to the US, visiting Chicago; Illinois; and Ohio, to identify new markets for Irish food and dairy produce, as well as the drinks sector.
This trade mission follows on from another to the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and Saudi Arabia six weeks ago. Minister McConalogue stated that good progress was made on the that operation, and hopes for similar results from next week’s.
“The US and Mexico really are markets with more potential and that’s what we really want to do. Hopefully next week we will really engage with customers and seek to develop them further. We want to open them up and develop relationships,” the minister concluded.