Ireland is the UK’ second largest market in terms of volume for beef offal, the latest Livestock and Meat Commission’s (LMC) figures show.

In 2014 Ireland imported 9,603t of UK beef offal and this accounted for 22% of the UK’s total offal exports, the LMC says.

Furthermore, the LMC states that the largest majority, if not all, of this offal will have been destined for further markets. 2014 imports to Ireland from the UK increased from last year, when the Republic imported 9,005t of beef offal, the LMC says.

LMC figures show that this is an increase of 600t year on year, a 7% increase.

The LMC says that, in 2014, the UK exported beef offal to 45 countries worldwide. It says that this shows the range of markets available for different animal by-products but also highlights the complexities associated with marketing of fifth quarter materials.

The LMC says that “while the domestic market is an important outlet for quality beef cuts the opportunities for beef offal on the domestic market is very limited due to customer preferences for primal meat cuts”.

“The rising global demand for protein and with many regions of the world favouring some offal cuts the global export market provides a valuable opportunity to add value to the UK beef industry,” the LMC says.

“The largest market for UK beef offal during 2014 in terms of volume was Hong Kong with 11,070t exported which accounted for 25% of total UK beef offal exports. This was a marked increase from the previous year when 3,457t were exported to Hong Kong which accounted for 10.5 per cent of total exports,” the LMC says.

“The value of offal exports to Hong Kong accounted for 35% of total UK offal exports during 2014 and the total value of beef offal exports has increased the value per tonne has also increased from £1,764/t to £1,972/t,” the LMC says.