Egyptian authorities have agreed to reopen markets to Irish beef after two decades, the department of agriculture confirmed last week.
The deal's approval will launch exports from five Irish plants, once logistical arrangements are established. It includes approval for beef offals and a limited approval for certain sheep meat products.
In the period before Egypt's ban on EU beef in the late 1990's, the North African country was one of the largest markets for Irish beef, agriculture Minister Michael Creed said.
"This announcement on Egypt is another example of achieving the market access goals in the Food Wise 2025 strategy. My department will continue to work closely with Bord Bia, the department of foreign affairs and trade and Irish exporters both to seek new markets for our exports but also to enhance the existing levels of market access," he added.
The department said that with roughly 95 million consumers, Egypt is the largest consumer market in the Middle East and North Africa. It is the third largest destination for Irish agri-food exports to Africa, with exports of €45 million last year, in the dairy (€30.5 million) and seafood (€11 million) sectors.
The market to live Irish cattle was reopened in February 2016. Last year, access to the US, Canadian, New Zealand and Israeli markets enhanced the Irish beef sector.
Creed said that important steps were also taken to further beef market access in the Asian market, in China, South Korea, and Vietnam.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
