Bord Bia has today started a campaign to drive €15m in dairy export growth to Malaysia and the Philippines.

The “European Dairy-Ireland, working with nature” campaign promotes dairy from Ireland in South East Asia and is now also aiming to target 10,000 Asian buyers in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Irish dairy exports are forecast to grow by nearly €60m in South East Asia by 2025.

The campaign will see Asian buyers from Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines visit Irish dairy farms and processers.

As part of this week’s government-led trade mission, Bord Bia will host two dairy trade seminars in Malaysia and the Philippines, under the European Dairy-Ireland working with nature campaign.

Bord Bia co-funds the campaign with the European Union.

Minister of State with responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety, and New Market Development Martin Heydon is launching both legs of the €3.2m campaign in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Mr Heydon said that Bord Bia has been awarded the opportunity, by the European Commission, to promote European and Irish dairy in Southeast Asia over a three-year period from 2022-2024.

“This is in recognition of the grass-fed and sustainable nature of Irish dairy production and the market demand dynamics at play in the Southeast Asia region,” he said.

The latest campaign is aligned with the goals of the Irish agri-food sector’s “Food Vision 2030” strategy, which sees Ireland as a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems.

Jack Hogan, Bord Bia’s Market Specialist, EU Programmes Asia, said that Irish dairy exporters and Bord Bia have long recognised the importance of Malaysia and the Philippines as growth markets for sustainable dairy ingredients.

“Through these campaigns, we can work together to strengthen the business relationships Irish dairy exporters have formed with stakeholders in Malaysia and the Philippines and nurture new ones well into the future. Through this campaign we hope to drive €15m in dairy export growth to Malaysia and the Philippines,” he added.