Irish Examiner.com reports that during the first five months of 2011, exports in value and volume terms to these four markets almost trebled to €16.9m, or a total of 10,700 tonnes.

Bord Bia’s Asia market manager Breffni Kennedy said: "Irish pork has continued to successfully re-position itself in the region throughout the year. End of year volumes to China and Hong Kong are set to exceed 18,000 tonnes. The visit to Ireland this week by a delegation from Yurun, Shineway, Jinlou and Goldkinn led by the National Development and Reform Commission and the China Meat Association will further enhance the position of Irish pork in China.

"Irish pork exports to Japan for the first six months of the year more than doubled and are likely to exceed 10,000 tonnes for the year. Irish frozen pork sales to Korea were set to reach close to €6m for the first half of the year and the benefits of the EU-Korea FTA should assist future growth."

Meanwhile, Japan’s beef imports requirement has also increased this year. Up to the end of July Japan’s beef imports increased by over 6 per cent, or 17,000 tonnes, on a year earlier. Japan’s imports of beef offal’s grew by almost 14 per cent to just under 26,000 tonnes.