Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed. (Photo: Rastislav Polak/CC0 1.0)
China reopens market to live Irish crab
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 03:10 (GMT + 9)
Minister of Agriculture of Ireland reached an agreement with a Chinese official on the proposed certificate to accompany consignments of crab exports to the Chinese market, which should facilitate the resumption of the crab trade between both countries.
Minister Michael Creed and the head of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of China, Zhi Shuping, recognise that the Asian country has become an extremely important market for Irish seafood and restoration of this trade is seen as particularly important for Irish seafood exporters ahead of BREXIT.
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and AQSIQ reached a technical deal on a methodology designed to solve the live crab export certificate issue to China. As a result of the deal, SFPA will implement the crab monitoring programme and certification will be built upon these criteria and the Chinese authorities (AQSIQ) will continue to monitor consignments arriving in the Asian country.
“I would like to thank the Chinese authorities and the SFPA for their work in reaching a conclusion to this difficult issue and welcome the resumption of trade in crab to China in the knowledge that the Irish seafood sector will also be delighted to resume supply of premium crab for the Chinese consumer,” pointed out Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed.
In 2010, Ireland secured market access in China for live crab through bilateral cooperation between SFPA and AQSIQ but in 2015, China expressed concern about the levels of the heavy metal cadmium in live crabs coming from Ireland.
The Irish Government highlights there has been a steady increase in exports up to an estimated value of EUR 3 million with a significant number of Irish sea-fishing boats providing product to up to 8 seafood export companies.
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media
|