Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, TD (Assembly Delegate), announced June 17 that three additional Irish beef plants and one pigmeat plant have been approved by the Chinese authorities and listed by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), which is part of the recently established Chinese agency, the State Market Regulatory Administration. This announcement follows the beef market opening in April and from the ministerial discussions during a trade mission to China led by Creed in May. The minister noted, “I am very pleased that the Chinese officials in CNCA have been able to complete this part of the registration process so quickly and efficiently, despite the wide range of countries seeking beef access to China and many demands on their time.” — WLJ
