Minister for Agriculture Food & Marine, Michael Creed T.D., today (Thursday) met with Mexican Sub-Secretary for Trade, Juan Carlos Baker Pineda and the Mexican Secretary for Agriculture (SAGARPA), Mr Jose Eduardo Calzada Rovirosa.  Commenting after the meetings Minister Creed said:

“As the first Irish Minister for Agriculture to visit Mexico as part of a Trade Mission, I was extremely encouraged with the positive engagement I had today with both Secretary Calzada, and Undersecretary Baker.  Both Secretaries expressed a keen willingness to progress Trade with the EU and indeed Ireland specifically and I hope today's meetings can be the catalyst to further progress in Agri-food trade with Mexico.”

Referring to his meeting with his Mexican counterpart Secretary for Agriculture Jose Eduardo Calzada Rovirosa, Minister Creed remarked:

“Agri-food Trade to Mexico to date has been relatively modest with dairy exports totalling over €52.5M in 2016, which represented over 91% of total agricultural exports to Mexico last year.  We do not have market access for meat products to Mexico at present therefore I took the opportunity during today's meeting to present Secretary Calzada with a technical questionnaire for pork access and a letter of intent for beef access.  There have also been a number of technical meetings taking place between my officials and Mexican authorities parallel to the political engagement.”

Minister Creed continues his two day Trade Mission to Mexico which will include a meeting with Mexican meat industry representatives as well as officially launching the Irish Mexican Chamber of Commerce

Note for Editors:

• Mexico has a population of 127 million making it the 11th largest country in the world in population terms. It is the 15th largest economy in the world with projections that it will move into the top five by 2050. 

• Agri food exports to Mexico have increased by around 20% from €47.1 million (10,300 tonnes) in 2012 to €57.4 million (15,900 tonnes) in 2016. 

• In dairy terms Mexico was the 13th largest destination for Irish dairy exports in 2016 with total exports of around €52.6 million or 14,500 tonnes.  This marks an increase of almost 50% from the amount seen in 2012, which was €35.1 million or 8,000 tonnes.  The main categories are:

• Infant Formula - €9.2 million, 814 tonnes
• Fat Filled Milk Powders (FFMP) - €17.8 million, 8.396 tonnes
• Caseins - €25.0 million, 5,132 tonnes

• The other main category of exports to Mexico is beverages, which in 2016 were worth €4 million (1,163 tonnes) 

To view this Press Release as a PDF: DAFMPR 114/2017 (pdf 319Kb) 

Date Released: 22 June 2017