The eastern European country of Ukraine will be accepting Irish beef and pork imports, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed has announced.

Minister Creed made the announcement while speaking at the 21st meeting of the Food Wise 2025 High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC) today, Thursday, April 4.

“This agreement follows on from bilateral negotiations between my department and Ukrainian authorities, with the assistance of the Irish Embassy in Prague,” said Minister Creed.

The opening of this new market is a reflection of the confidence Ukrainian authorities have in the high standards of food safety and the rigorous controls in Ireland. It marks another important step in the development of Ireland’s agri-food links with Ukraine.

Details on these new arrangements for trading with Ukraine are being added to the department’s ‘Market Access Portal’, and a trader notice will issue for processors and exporters shortly.

Also at today’s meeting, the minister led discussions on: the preparations of the department and relevant state agencies for Brexit; the development of new markets for agri-food products; and the development of new opportunities for adding value to agri-food production, through initiatives in the bio-economy.

“The global food market presents significant growth opportunities for the Irish agri-food sector. This is vitally important in the context of Brexit. This is why my department and its agencies are focusing significant time and resources on opening new markets for Irish exporters,” said Minister Creed.