Ireland is currently the only EU state to have been granted access to the lucrative US meat market since the BSE crisis in the 1990’s. Since the embargo was lifted earlier this year, Beef exports from Ireland to the US have increased significantly, according to the Department of Agriculture. As of November 2015, it is estimated that 1300 tonnes of beef valued at €8.5m, has been exported from Ireland.
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said “This is an exceptionally strong start to this trade, considering that the first exports only went in March of this year and some of the plants were only approved for export as recently as September.”
To date only six Irish beef processing plants have managed to attain the necessary approvals to export beef to the US market.
Emydex Technology are pleased to note that four of the six plants that have succeeded in attaining the necessary Export approvals, are Irish beef processing plants that operate Emydex software on their factory floors for data capture, production and Traceability reporting.
“It’s good news to see that trade has recommenced between Ireland and the US after 15 years of no activity. It will still take some time yet for Irish processors to restore and build new trading relationships with US customers, but given the high prices currently being experienced in the US, coupled with a demand for high-quality grass-fed beef, this bodes well for Irish supply”
David McMahon – Emydex CEO
Emydex software provides meat, fish and food processors with accurate reporting on shop floor production yields, stocks and traceability information in real-time.
“Today our software is running on over 1200 factory floor terminals as well as over 600 handheld scanners in 80 food processing plants spread across Ireland, the UK, France, Africa and Australia”
“Whether our customers have requirements for an abattoir or boning hall system, production planning or recipe control, traceability reporting or quality and compliance, we have software modules that can cater for each need.”
“As the software is modular and customisable, it means our customers can start on one particular pain point or area of the plant, and once this system is live and bedded in, the system can be extended to other areas or functions within the plant”added McMahon.
Source: The Irish Times Post by Eoin Burke-Kennedy
In other related news, Northern Irish Pork Processors, Dunbia, have welcomed provisional approval for exporting pork to China. Dunbia also operate Emydex Factory Floor Software throughout their processing plants, so it comes as great news to Emydex to see that our customers are paving the way for the Irish agri-food industry, into some of the largest export markets in the world.
