The focus – mainly on Asian targets – is part of an urgent trade diversification plan that the Government and state agencies are rolling out in the face of the global trade crisis.
It includes plans to win new and expanded contracts in China to sell Irish beef, lamb and pork, despite Trump’s demands that Europe break trade connections with China.
Mr Heydon told the Sunday Independent that significant potential existed in Asia. Trade officials are targeting new market access in countries such as Korea and Japan, and he plans to visit both countries in June as part of a trade mission.
“There are really significant opportunities for beef in Korea,” he said.
Other priority targets for expansion would include Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia for beef, Saudi Arabia and Algeria for sheep, Laos and India for pigs, Malaysia and Turkey for poultry, and Morocco and Canada for cooked meats.
The only place for Ireland to be is at the heart of the European response
“We have been working extremely hard across my department, engaging with other countries on their requirements in terms of market access, working with state agencies such as Bord Bia, but also with our agri-food businesses, to recognise where the market opportunities are to grow and to expand,” he said.
The Government was also “actively engaged” in work to ratify the EU-Canada trade deal and this was “a top priority”.
This work could also lead to ratification of similar deals with Singapore, Vietnam and Chile.
But the Government continues to have concerns around the EU’s huge Mercosur trade deal, proposed with a bloc of South American countries – because of its potential impact on Irish farmers, he said.
Heydon insisted that the US market – particularly for butter and whiskey – is not lost to Ireland.
“About 10pc of our food exports went to the US last year, worth €2bn,” he said. “We don’t want to see that reduced. We don’t want unnecessary tariffs or barriers.”
But, he said, markets such as Japan and Australia present opportunities for the whiskey sector and Kerrygold butter is hugely popular in Germany, and there were expansion opportunities there too.
“We don’t want to reduce our sales in America if we can help it,” he said. “But we have other options and we continue to explore and develop them.
“When I was in the US last week, the comparison I made to many of the representatives on Capitol Hill was that this feels to me like ‘Brexit Mk II’.
“A key trading partner and ally of Ireland is making a very significant policy shift that is going to hurt us – but is also going to hurt the US, in terms of their own consumers and their businesses.
I’m really ambitious for the future of agriculture and food
“Europe has to respond. But just like with Brexit, the European response could hurt us as well.
“That’s where our very close, unique position and relationship with the US is very important in the European context.
“And as with Brexit, the only place for Ireland to be is at the heart of the European response – to make sure it is calm and proportionate and that we give space, in the face of provocation, for negotiation.”
Europe did not want to be in the position of imposing additional tariffs “but if you do, you want to make sure stuff on that list is going to have a bigger impact in America than it’s going to have on us in the European Union.”
With other sectors such as pharma and tech under threat, it was “a really good opportunity to remind people that the work of our 130,000 farmers is really of critical importance to our economy.
“I’m really ambitious for the future of agriculture and food,” he said.
“I come from a farming background, and I know how important it is to our overall economy. There are lots of challenges – but there are lots of opportunities.”
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