China is keen to increase its agricultural links with Ireland and believes that the Irish are leading the way in agricultural science and technology, according to China's vice-minister for agriculture, Zhang Taolin.
Dr Zhang Taolin made the comments during a visit to Co. Carlow-based Richard Keenan & Co., an Irish feed technology and nutrition company that signed a multi-million euro deal earlier this month, which will see its feeder wagons exported to China.
The Keenan Group's deal with Chinese partner, Shanghai Yanhua Biotech, initially involves the sale of feeder wagons with further back-up from nutritionists on the ground in China, with theThe feeder wagons, and the technology behind them, is patent-protected.
Keenan Group chief executive Gerard Keenan stated that progress has been made on the establishment of an Irish-Chinese dairy research and technology centre, which will be a joint venture between the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Keenan's and UCD's Institute of Animal Science.
The vice-minister said that China was at a key stage in the transformation of its food production from traditional to modern agriculture in an environmentally sustainable and efficient way.
Speaking through an interpreter at the visit, Dr Zhang said, “We hope to further promote our bilateral relationship, in particular our agricultural co-operation." He continued, “Ireland is leading the whole world in terms of agriculture, in particular agricultural science and technological advancement.”
During his visit to Ireland, Zhang also visited food producer Glanbia's headquarters in Co. Kilkenny. Glanbia recently signed a memorandum of understanding on potential areas of co-operation with one of China's top food companies, Bright Foods.
