The suspension of exports of Irish beef to China is “disappointing”, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Livestock Committee chair Brendan Golden, who has also warned that the issue “must be resolved quickly”.
Despite confirmation of the suspension, the IFA livestock chair said: “Beef prices are rising as factories build stocks for the lucrative Christmas trade.
“Demand for beef in our key export markets (the UK and EU) is strong. Supplies of suitable in-spec cattle is tightening and there should be no negative impact on beef price.
“The gap with Prime Export Benchmark is still over 30c/kg, showing the capacity in these markets. It must be closed with higher beef prices.”
But Brendan Golden also said that returning to the Chinese market as soon as possible is important.
“Given that we had only recently regained access, it’s a setback that we could do without.
“The move by China is a technical issue resulting from the discovery of a case of Atypical BSE in a 10-year old cow in this country. Under the protocol, Ireland is required to submit a detailed epidemiological report.
“Given the nature of this case, once the report is reviewed by the Chinese authorities, there should be no delay in regaining access,” he said.
Bord Bia
Meanwhile the chief executive of Bord Bia, Jim O’Toole, who is currently taking in an Agri-Food Trade Mission to Malaysia and Philippines, said that the organisation will “remain in close contact with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Irish exporters and key customers following confirmation of the case of “atypical BSE”.
“While it is too early to comment on the potential impact on trade, we will continue to monitor the trade reaction overseas and respond accordingly,” he added.