China has suspended imports of Irish beef following the detection of bluetongue in cattle herds in County Wexford.
According to RTE News, the outbreak was confirmed in late January, with additional cases since identified in three nearby herds. Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said his department notified Chinese authorities, who then halted Irish beef imports effective Jan. 27, RTE News reported.
The suspension comes shortly after the Chinese market reopened following a closure tied to a bovine spongiform encephalopathy case in 2024. RTE News said the minister described the move as disappointing, adding that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Irish Embassy in Beijing are working with China to resolve the issue.
