IFA Sees Major Potential for Irish Live Cattle to UK
IRELAND - IFA National Livestock Chairman Michael Doran said there is major potential for Irish live cattle exports to the UK. He said any obstacles being put in front of the live trade to the UK must be removed and the market must be allowed flow.
27 August 2009
2 minute read
Mr Doran said the live export trade was very active this year with close on 200,000 cattle exported to date. He said exports of live cattle to the UK had already commenced with over 4,000 head shipped to date. In addition, he said over 46,000 head of livestock had been exported to Northern Ireland.
The IFA livestock leader said he had travelled to the UK and met with the NFU, cattle finishers and key supermarket groups on importing cattle from Ireland. He said it is clear cattle feeders in the UK want Irish weanlings and store cattle. There is an abundance of quality cattle available in the country for export. He said the economics of exporting live cattle to the UK are right with UK cattle prices €100 to €150 above Irish levels.
Organised by the Irish Farmers’ Journal, IFA met a group of UK cattle finishers who visited Ireland in June. Mr Doran said, "A group from the UK midlands visited my farm and a number of other locations in Ireland in June and were extremely impressed with the quality of stock available." Mr Doran said IFA had also met with the Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith on exports of live cattle to the UK and pursued the issue with the Department of Agriculture and An Bord Bia.
The IFA livestock leader said talking to cattle finishers in the UK, it is clear that they see tremendous value in continental cross cattle from our suckler herd. Mr Doran said live exports are essential to cattle price competition.
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