An agreement has been reached with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health which will allow for the importation into Qatar of Irish beef, sheepmeat and poultry, according to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed.

Welcoming the news, Minister Creed said: “The opening of this new market is a reflection of the confidence the Qatari authorities have in the rigorous controls and high standards of food safety we have in Ireland.”

The market is being opened to boneless beef, sheepmeat and poultry – for both meat and meat products.

The opening of the Qatari market is the result of ongoing efforts by my department, the Irish Ambassador accredited to Qatar and the agricultural attache in the Gulf Region in recent times.

Minister Creed reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Irish meat exporters would have access to as many global markets as possible in line with the market development themes of Food Wise 2025.

He added that his department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Bord Bia would continue to work closely in achieving this goal.

This announcement comes just after the French Minister for Agriculture Stephane Travert concluded a two-day trip to Ireland over the weekend for discussions with Minister Creed in Cork.