Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue today (Wednesday, August 31) discussed market access for Irish food with his Japanese counterparts in Tokyo.
The minister met with Tetsuro Nomura, Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Katsunobu Kato, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, to explore a range of issues, as well as opportunities for further cooperation.
The meetings form part of the minister’s agri-food trade mission to Japan and Southeast Asia.
The Japanese leg of the trade mission, which continues until Friday (September 2), will see the minister, officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and Bord Bia meet with key stakeholders.
The delegation will also outline Ireland’s Origin Green verification for food and drinks with representatives from the Japanese food industry through meetings and technical seminars.
Last month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin signed a joint leaders’ statement with Prime Minister Kishida during his visit to Japan.
Speaking after the meeting, Minister McConalogue said that he was pleased to discuss Food Vision 2030 with Ministers Normura and Kato.
The ten-year strategy aims to make Ireland a world leader in sustainable food systems.
The ministers also examined opportunities for future collaboration in research and development.
“In terms of meat market access, my department has engaged in detail with the Japanese authorities over recent years, including locating an agricultural attaché in the Embassy of Ireland in Tokyo,” the minister said.
“This effort is now paying off – we have market access to Japan for pigmeat; our beef market access was further enhanced last year to include minced meat and burgers; and market access for sheepmeat was achieved in 2019.
“Today, I also raised Ireland’s application for market access for poultry meat, which is currently at desktop review stage, and which I hope will be progressed in the time ahead,” the minister continued.
“Japan sets high standards for food imports, and meeting these exacting requirements is an endorsement of the animal health, welfare and food safety control systems enforced by my department as the competent authority certifying meat exports.
“Irish food companies can now avail of these new market opportunities, with support and guidance from Bord Bia, and I look forward to engaging with more of the established and potential trade customers for high quality Irish meat in Japan in the coming days,” McConalogue added.
“Japan and Ireland have many cultural connections especially around our deep respect for our farm families as well as our love of high-quality food.
“Ireland and our world-class food sector is well-placed to deliver safe and sustainable food exports to Japan in the time ahead,” the minister concluded.
The interim chief executive of Bord Bia, Michael Murphy, added:
“Evidence from Bord Bia’s last trade mission in 2019, our market prioritisation study and the growth of exports to Japan over the last three years has confirmed that Japan is a high-potential growth market for Irish food and drink.
“Since opening Bord Bia’s Tokyo office in 2019, Bord Bia has expanded and added additional resources on the ground in Japan to ensure we are supporting our customers and clients and helping to build strategic partnerships and expand Ireland’s global footprint in the Irish agri-food sector,” he said.