IFA President Joe Healy has said Ireland should take a brand Ireland approach to selling beef to China.
“The Chinese market presents a unique opportunity to build a high value Irish beef brand, similar to Kerrygold for dairy.
“We have to maximise the price return and avoid a situation where the farmer price is undermined by processors undercutting each other in the Chinese market.
“Farmers have seen the success of the Ornua Kerrygold model on the dairy side. China presents an opportunity to take a similar approach with Irish beef”.
The IFA President, along with National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods and National Pig Chairman Tom Hogan, are visiting China as part of a Ministerial trade mission, following the opening of the Chinese market for Irish beef last month.
Joe Healy added: “The Chinese market could not be more important in the context of the risk to the UK market from Brexit. China presents a unique opportunity and we must get it right”.
