A new trade agreement has opened the door to UK exports of beef to Singapore worth an estimated £10 million a year to the UK economy.

Singapore’s ban on UK beef, put in place following the identification of BSE, has been lifted following an inspection from the country’s Agri-food Veterinary Authority (AVA) to three beef plants in the UK.

These beef producers and their sister plants will now be able to export cuts of deboned beef from cattle aged thirty months to Singapore.

Other beef producers 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.

A Defra spokesperson said:

“This deal is fantastic news for the UK beef industry, allowing them to grow their businesses by exporting to a lucrative market. We are working open markets across the globe to UK-made food and drink. The food and drink industry is the biggest manufacturing sector we have, and increasing exports will be a major boost to our economic recovery.”