IFA National Livestock Chairman Henry Burns welcomed the announcement from the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney that the Gulf countries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Bahrain had lifted bans in place on imports of Irish beef and sheep meat.
Burns (pictured) said Minister Coveney and his Department needed to quickly agree veterinary health certificates with the Gulf Co-operation Council countries in order for Irish beef and lamb exports to take place.
The IFA livestock leader pointed that back in 1998, Saudi Arabia imported over 25,000t of Irish beef which in today’s value would be worth over €125m. In addition, he said there are very significant opportunities for Irish beef and sheep meat exports to the Gulf countries.