The Irish-based beef processing firm Liffey Meats was in attendance at SIAL Shanghai recently as part of the Bord Bia trade mission to China.
Agriland caught up with Liffey Meats global business development manager, Paul McPhillips, at the SIAL world food trade fair in China to hear his views on opportunities for Irish beef in the Chinese market.
He explained Irish beef exporters are “delighted the market has reopened” and noted “it was a very important market for Irish beef in 2018 and 2019”.
However, McPhillips explained that the market dynamics have changed significantly since then, saying “conditions are currently a lot more challenging”.
“It’s very hard to compete with South America in general and Brazil in particular but that doesn’t mean it won’t come right”.
He said there are currently a few beef cuts that are “maybe” feasible in the Chinese market.
“At the minute, there are a few cuts that might work. Boneless short ribs, naval-end brisket and maybe beef shin and shank.”
The global business development manager explained that peak demand from the Chinese market is expected “towards the end of the summer”.
“When you look at Chinese beef imports over the course of the year, they buy a lot more from August to October than in any other period because their period of chief consumption is from January to February for the Chinese new year.
“They’re buying in with a mind of having full warehouses in the run up to Chinese new year and to be ready for the end of January, they’re buying from August onwards.”
Irish beef in China
He explained that the Irish beef which goes to China is used in both “the grocer trade and in restaurants”.
“In 2019, we had beef in Chinese restaurants and retail outlets. Beef knuckle was working and was being used in retail. Topsides were also ending up in retail and navel-end briskets were being used in hot-pot restaurants.”
For use in hot-pot restaurants, beef is sliced thinly like ham and is cooked and eaten at the dining table.
Concluding, the Liffey Meats representative said: “The appetite is there for Irish beef but some other regions of the world are just too cheap for beef. We are hopeful that the Chinese market will show an increased appetite for Irish beef in the second half of the year.”