The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD is to establish two new agriculture attaché posts in the Irish embassies in Beijing and Moscow. They will further assist Irish food, drinks, ingredients, genomics, feed and equine sectors in their efforts at building trading relationships in these two countries. These diplomatic posts will be focused on maintaining and developing key strategic relationships at government and industry levels, facilitating trade and market access, in association with Bord Bia, and developing other key relationships with government, industry, educational and research institutes.
The attachés will also help build on the work of the Joint Economic Councils between Ireland and both China and Russia, working with Bord Bia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland. “We have seen an exponential rise in our exports of agri food and related products to China. In the two years from 2010 to 2012, our agri-food exports to China increased by over 90pc, reaching €323m. Our exports to Russia have also risen significantly, increasing 41pc from 2010 to €108m in 2012,” the Minister noted.
“We cannot underestimate the importance of the work which our diplomatic staff and the staff of Bord Bia undertake abroad. In facilitating growth in our exports to these countries and in maintaining Ireland’s international reputation as a source of natural high quality food drinks and ingredients, they are contributing to generating foreign earnings and maintaining jobs in Ireland.”
Source: Business and Leadership – Two New Agri Attaché Posts in Beijing and Moscow Announced
