An agreement has been reached between the Irish government and the Australian veterinarian authorities, which opens up a potential market worth of €20 million, for the export of pigmeat from the Republic of Ireland to Australia.
Simon Coveney TD, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said that the agreement is the result of efforts by his Department, Irish Embassy Canberra and Bord Bia over a number of years, which included a successful inspection visit to Ireland by a veterinary delegation from Biosecurity Australia in 2011.
According to the Minister, Australia has been a target market for the Irish pigmeat industry for many years. Last year Australia imported over 149,000 tonnes of pork, valued at approximately €400 million. With a population of almost 23 million, over 2 million of whom claim Irish ancestry and a per capita consumption of 24.5 Kg of pork per year, Australia offers Irish pork processors exciting new opportunities. Conservative industry estimates are that up to €20 million worth of Irish pork could be exported to Australia on an annual basis.