Ireland is seeking to boost exports of beef and other food products to Saudi Arabia, a visiting official said here recently.

Simon Coveney, Irish minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food, led a 35-member delegation representing 50 Irish companies during their two-day stay in the Kingdom. Trade between Ireland and Saudi Arabia stands at $1 billion a year.

Coveney met with top government officials on Wednesday. “I also met with Mohammed Al-Kanhal, the chief executive officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Administration, to discuss regulations to ensure that imported Irish products are safe,” he said.

The Irish minister said he also had a meeting with Fahd Balghunaim, minister of agriculture, who had invited him to visit Saudi Arabia. Coveney has also invited Balghunaim to visit Ireland.

“We discussed bilateral issues particularly food and dairy products. In the 1980s, 30 to 40 percent of the Saudi beef demand came from Ireland. However, exports were stopped in 1997 due to an animal disease in Europe although it minimally affected Ireland.” He said Irish beef has been certified as safe.

He said the export of Irish beef resumed in May under a Gulf Cooperation Council agreement. “Saudi Arabia is the biggest beef market for Ireland in the region and I think there's a great opportunity to grow the food trade between the two countries,” he said.

He said Ireland exports about 25,000 tons of beef a year amounting to SR120 million and could increase the volume further. “Ireland exports nearly 90 percent of the food we produce and imports about 75 percent of all the food we consume,” he said.

He said the Irish Dairy Board has signed a deal with Al-Wazeen, a local dairy company. “The IDB is investing $25 million in Al-Wazeen. It is buying a 75 percent stake in the Saudi dairy firm, which will import milk from Ireland and process it to make soft fresh cheese. We're trying to build a long-lasting relationship here.”

Coveney also met with Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, minister of education. He told Arab News that Prince Faisal was pleased that 3,000 Saudis are studying in Ireland. They also discussed horse breeding and show jumping. Niall Holohan, the Irish ambassador, was also at the meeting.

Coveney said Ireland and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic ties 40 years ago and have developed a good relationship. “Despite the great geographic distance between the two countries, the large differences in size and cultural background, we have found that we have many values in common,” he said.