Minister Creed Welcomes EU Commission Co-Funding Decision for a Bord Bia Pork and Beef Promotion Campaign In The Philippines, South Korea & Vietnam

04 November 2018


Minister Creed Welcomes EU Commission Co-Funding Decision for a Bord Bia Pork and Beef Promotion Campaign In The Philippines, South Korea & Vietnam

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., has today welcomed the awarding by the EU Commission of co-funding of €3.16 million towards a €3.9 million Bord Bia information and promotional campaign promoting European pork and beef over 3 years in the Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam.

The campaign, European Pork and Beef – Excellence in Quality and Production Standards, commencing in early 2019, will target a combined population of 250 million people across South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines. Its objectives are to build and strengthen awareness of Europe’s high standards in quality and production of Pork and Beef – particularly those from Ireland - and to build the positive image in those markets as a trusted partner. It also aims to increase target audiences’ – (trade, market influencers, key decision makers, bloggers & foodies) propensity to consume European pork and beef and to so increase European pork and beef imports across all three markets.

The announcement comes as Minister Creed finished his successful week-long trade mission to Indonesia and Malaysia in an effort to expedite opportunities for Irish meat and dairy in South & East Asia, a region home to over 650 million people, or 9% of the global population.

Commenting on the Commission decision, the Minister said “I am delighted to see the EU recognition and financial support for an attractive industry programme to raise awareness of European pork and beef as a high quality product. Food Wise 2025 – our industry led plan for the agri-food sector foresees a sector that acts more strategically and achieves a competitive critical mass in the international marketplace. I commend the Irish meat industry for their positive input and for their collaboration in the co-funding of the national element of this programme”.

Ireland has both beef and pigmeat market access to the Philippines and it has proven to be a significant market for the industry, since it opened in 2014.

The Minister continued – “Vietnam and South Korea are two countries considered as high priority by my Department and industry, both with prospects that have been identified within the top 5 potential meat markets by Bord Bia as part of its market prioritisation exercise”.

Ireland already has existing pigmeat access for both South Korea and Vietnam. “This programme will build on the access achieved and highlight the attractive qualities of European and Irish pork in these markets”.

“With regard to beef in South Korea and Vietnam, significant development work has already been carried out by my Department with the ongoing assistance of the Irish Embassies there and in conjunction with the industry and Bord Bia as part of a process to achieve beef market access in these countries. This work is ongoing” the Minister concluded.

Bord Bia has identified the growth potential of South & East Asia for Irish food and drink exports via its Prioritising Markets study. It found evidence of the region’s expanding middle class and the consequential growing demand for consumer foods made from quality ingredients.

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia Chief Executive, said: “Securing this funding highlights the confidence in Ireland as a well-established exporter of quality, sustainably produced pork and beef. This campaign gives us the opportunity to broaden our promotional efforts at a time when expansion into international markets is becoming increasingly important.”

Over the course of the three year campaign, Bord Bia will target more than 500 key trade and decision makers to attend technical seminars and over 300,000 buyers will be accessible to our meat exporters at international trade shows. Bord Bia will also welcome 90 overseas trade representatives to visit Irish farms and producers.”

Minister Creed then highlighted that “the 2019 call for proposals will open in February 2019 and I look forward to more Irish applications being submitted to the European Commission“. More information available here.

NOTE TO EDITORS

This campaign is implemented under EU Council Regulation 1144/2015 on information provision and promotion measures concerning agricultural products implemented in the internal market and in third countries and repealing Council regulation  (EC) No 3/2008.

The EU Promotion Regime with a Budget of €179million (rising to €200 million in 2019), acts as key for opening up new markets and to diversity trading partners. With the common denominator - 'Enjoy, it´s from Europe' it aims to help the sector’s professionals to break into or consolidate international markets and to make consumers more aware of the efforts made by European farmers. Funding awards are made annually on a competitive basis to successful promotion programmes submitted by the Member States to the European Commission.

Details on the market access, trade and certification situation for these and other markets is available on the market access web portal here.

 ENDS

Original Press Release, click here.