Just under 700 tonnes of Irish beef, with a value of €6 million, is thought to have been exported to the US during the first quarter of 2016, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Agriland.ie reports that the Department remains engaged with the US authorities on beef exports, and is hoping to see Irish manufacturing beef allowed into the US in the near future.
The US market for Irish beef was opened just over a year ago, and the latest Department of Agriculture figures show that Irish beef exports to the country were worth €11 million in 2015.
However, Irish processors have yet to gain access to the large manufacturing beef market there.
The 2015 figures fall short of the €50 - €100 million that the Minister for Agriculture has predicted for the first year that Irish beef was launched on the US market.
This shortfall, says Agriland.ie, has been put down to the fact that Irish beef doesn’t have access to the manufacturing beef market, described by many as 'the big prize'.
