AS THE value of Irish food and drinks exports continue to fall because of currency movements and the recession, Ireland will have its largest ever presence at the Anuga food and drink trade fair, in Cologne, Germany this week.
Bord Bia, the Irish food board, has mounted a major campaign at the event to boost exports to euro zone markets because of the difficulties of trading in Britain. Ibec has predicted exports could fall by as much as €1 billion this year.
Irish food and drink exports have been hit by the depreciation of sterling and the global downturn. They fell for the first time last year by 6.5 per cent to just under €8.2 billion.
Bord Bia is hopeful that there is potential for growth in the continental European markets, which represent almost one-third of Irish food and drink exports.
Some 30 Irish companies from the meat, dairy, drinks and frozen food sectors are present at the biannual fair which began this weekend. Bord Bia has targeted 3,000 buyers, including representatives from the top 20 retail outlets in the EU, in advance of the event. It hopes that key buyers will meet representatives from Irish companies during the event.