Bord Bia will host six Chinese pigmeat companies and the China Meat Association, the governing body responsible for China’s meat industry, at the National Ploughing Championships today. The companies, five of which are new customers to Ireland, share a combined estimated sales revenue of €1.2 billion and a collective slaughtering capacity of approximately 18 million head. Three Chinese journalists, from media outlets with a total daily readership of 1.6 million, will also be in attendance.
The buyers and media are in Ireland to attend Bord Bia’s inaugural Global Sustainability Conference taking place tomorrow at the Convention Centre, Dublin, with in excess of 800 delegates are expected to attend. During their stay the group’s week long itinerary includes a meeting with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; a one to one briefing with Hermitage Pedigree Breeding Centre in Kilkenny; pig farm tours and manufacturing plant visits with Rosderra, Kepak, and Dawn Pork and Bacon
China has a high import requirement and has become a key player in the global pigmeat market. Irish pigmeat exports to China during 2012 rose by 27% to reach 25,400 tonnes, while for the first six months of the year, exports were 6% higher compared to the corresponding period last year.
Throughout the week, Bord Bia has organized a number of itineraries for visiting international buyers to provide them with an opportunity to experience first-hand the high standards and world-class quality of Ireland’s food, drink and farming industry. Some fourteen customized itineraries have been devised for dairy, meat, alcohol, livestock and seafood buyers from new and emerging export markets including Russia, Libya, United Emirates, India and China. The itineraries will run throughout the week, involving farm and factory visits to in excess of 60 Irish food and drink companies, with an additional 50 companies involved in one to one buyer meetings.
Bord Bia’s Presence at the Ploughing
This year, Bord Bia’s stand (V358) at the National Ploughing Championship will focus on Origin Green, the industry-wide voluntary sustainability programme launched in June 2012. Bord Bia will also use its presence at the show to communicate to farmers the ideal specifications required for Ireland’s key export markets for beef and lamb. The stand will detail Bord Bia’s promotional activities across all of the meat sectors, as well as Quality Assurance and up to date market information. Opposite Bord Bia’s stand, there will be a live cattle demonstration around the theme ‘Sustainable Livestock’, which Bord Bia is organising in conjunction with the Irish Farmers Journal and FBD. This will focus on sustainable livestock production and on winter feed management.
An eBook has been prepared for the Global Sustainability Conference, and is available to view online at http://bit.ly/BBConfeBook