Dunbia welcomes Chinese approval for pork exports
Following intensive work undertaken by government and industry, Northern Ireland processor, Dunbia has welcomed the news that provisional approval for exporting pork to China has been agreed.
The company, which processes 800,000 pigs a year, has been a keen supporter of securing the Chinese export market for Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry.
Dunbia deputy chief executive Tony O’Neill said: “Dunbia is delighted with the provisional approval from China for our pork exports. There has been a concerted effort by the Department of Agriculture and industry to secure the opening of the Chinese market for the Northern Ireland pork industry through building relationships and working through the bureaucratic process and I would like to thank Minister O’Neill for her lead and commitment to the process.
“This immensely significant breakthrough for Northern Ireland pork in the world’s biggest marketplace should pave the way for our excellent pig producers here to access the extensive opportunities there,” O’Neill added.
“At Dunbia, we have attended trade missions to China with Invest NI and DEFRA and we have hosted Chinese delegations to our pork facility in Ballymena so it is particularly satisfying to see the fruits of our combined labours reflected in the announcement yesterday.
“Developing export markets for the Northern Ireland Agri-Food industry is crucial for its future growth,” O’Neill commented. “There is still work to do but we are committed to developing and growing excellent business relationships with Chinese markets over the coming months and years. We need to ensure that we can maximise the relationships built to open the markets for other commodities including beef.”
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