Northern Irish beef set for Singapore in ?10M deal

Beef from two Northern Irish companies will benefit from a £10 million deal to supply beef to Singapore.

Dunbia, based in Dungannon, county Tyrone, and WD Meats, Coleraine, county Londonderry are among the three UK beef processors involved in the new trade agreement with Singapore, which recently lifted its ban such imports.

The deal follows an inspection of the two Northern Irish plants and a third in Britain by Singapore's Agri-food Veterinary Authority. The contract is expected to be worth upwards of £1 million in the first year and to grow to around £5 million a year.

The agreement means that the beef processors will now be able to export cuts of de-boned beef from cattle aged 30 months to Singapore. Other beef processors will be able to trade on the same terms once the Food Standards Agency has confirmed they have met the necessary requirements set out in the trade agreement.

Dunbia is Northern Ireland's biggest processor of beef, lamb and pork. The family-owned business currently exports to over 15 markets worldwide and is currently exploring potential business in China, which also hinges on the ban of UK beef being lifted.

The company, which employs over 3,000 people, has processing operations in Lancashire, as well as Scotland and Wales.

WD Meats is also a family-owned and managed business which has been processing beef in Coleraine since 1987. The company's modern, 100,000 sq ft complex, is built on 35 acres and incorporates its total processing operation under one roof.

Slaughtering, boning, packing and despatch facilities are all provided in house, giving the company complete control over all stages of production and ensuring customers of the highest standards in all aspects of the processing operation.