Bernadette Byrne, Paris Office, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board

Following a 12 year ban on French beef, Japan announced on the 21st January that it would be resuming trade with France as of the 1st of February on under 30 month animals, born, reared and slaughtered in France.  The news was welcomed by Dominique Langlois, chairman of Interbev, the French meat board who stated that "they now needed to work on the specification and product requirements”.

Japan imports some 400,000 tonnes of beef annually from the United States and Canada from animals aged less than 20 months. In September 2012, a panel of Japanese experts estimated that the consumption of meat from under 30 months animals from France, the United States, Canada and the Netherlands posed no health threat. 

Japan is a "niche market for high value hind quarter cuts” according to Mr. Yves Berger, MD of Interbev, and he sees this decision above all else as "symbolic". Over the past 18 months France has gained market access to countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.  Interbev is now focusing on Saudi Arabia and particularly China and they hope that the Japanese decision will provide a strong argument in their favour. 

The agri-food sector accounts for 16% of French exports to Japan and is growing at the rate of 6% per year, according to the Department of Agriculture’s website. A delegation of government officials and representatives of the meat industry will travel to Tokyo for the Foodex trade show from the 5th – 8th February.