List: 24 Irish sites approved for export of beef to China
The resumption of Irish beef exports to China was announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, at the beginning of this year.
The development was welcomed by all stakeholders in the Irish beef industry as the Chinese market imported over 12,000t, or €96 million worth of Irish beef in 2019.
However, markets have changed significantly since then, and it will be interesting to see what volumes of beef will be exported to China from Ireland this year.
Chinese buyers of Irish beef have placed orders with a number of processors and cattle eligible for export to China have been processed in a number of facilities throughout Ireland as of yesterday (Friday, January 27).
A total of 24 Irish sites are currently listed on the China Imported Food Enterprise Registration (CIFER) website as approved to export beef to China.
Some of these sites slaughter cattle while other sites store or process beef.
The Irish sites approved for the export of beef to China are as follows:
| Name | Address | Registration date | Registration expiry date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kildare Chilling Company | Kildare Town, Co. Kildare | October 21, 2019 | October 20, 2024 |
| ABP Cahir | Kilcommon, Cahir, Tipperary | October 21, 2019 | October 20, 2024 |
| ABP Waterford | Christendom， Ferrybank. Co. Waterford | October 21, 2019 | October 20, 2024 |
| ABP Rathkeale | Holycross, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick | October 21, 2019 | October 20, 2024 |
| Ashbourne Meat Processors | Naas Industrial Estate, Naas, Co. Kildare | October 21, 2019 | October 20, 2024 |
| ABP Bandon | Kilbrogan, Bandon, Co. Cork | October 21, 2019 | October 20, 2024 |
| ABP Nenagh | Grange, Nenagh, Co.Tipperary | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Kepak Kilbeggan | Rostella, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Ashbourne Meat Processors (Roscrea) | Castleholding, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Foyle Donegal | Drumnashear, Carrigans, Co. Donegal | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Slaney Foods International | Ryland Lower, Bunclody, Co. Wexford | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Dawn Charleville Ireland | Ardnageehy, Charleville Co. Cork | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Lyonara Cold Stores Ltd. | Portlaoise, Co. Laois | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Liffey Meats | Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Euro Farm Foods | Cooksgrove, Duleek, Co. Meath | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Dawn Meats Grannagh | Grannagh, Waterford | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Dawn Ballyhaunis | Clare Road, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| CGI Cold Stores Ltd. | Blanchardstown, Corporate Park, Dublin 15 | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Musgrave Ltd. T/A Allied Logistics | Cookstown Industrial Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24 | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| ABP Clones | Teehill, Clones, Co. Monaghan | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Kepak (Clonee) Ltd. | Clonee, Co. Meath | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Meadow Meats Ltd. | Rathdowney, Co. Laois | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Kepak Athleague | Glebe, Athleague, Co. Roscommon | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
| Kepak Longford | Rathmore, Ballymahon, Co. Longford | January 5, 2023 | January 5, 2028 |
Irish beef exports to China - including Hong Kong which operates as a special administrative region with different market access rules - were worth €45 million in 2020, down from exports of €96 million in 2019.
In May 2020, Irish beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation of an isolated case of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
This isolated case did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health.
Nevertheless, beef exports were immediately suspended at the time as a precautionary measure in line with the bilateral protocol on trade agreed with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
