The loss of an export contract with a Libyan customer because of visa issues may have cost an Irish cattle exporter up to €6 million, according to the Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA).
Agriland revealed earlier this week that the order, which had been placed with a southern-based exporter, was cancelled due to a delay in getting the purchaser’s visa approved.
The Irish cattle exporting firm based in Munster had secured a contract with a Libyan customer for a consignment of 2,500 bulls plus a follow-on contract of a further 2,500 bulls, based on the customer travelling to Ireland to pre-select the cattle.
However without the necessary visa the purchaser was unable to travel to Ireland.
ICSA”s beef chair, Edmund Graham, said the “inability” of authorities to process the visa application to facilitate the export order was “frustrating”.
Graham has urged the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to intervene to ensure the situation does not develop again.
“The loss of a contract to export 2,500 bulls – along with the potential of repeat orders – is hugely disappointing, It should not have happened, and it cannot happen again.
“It is to be expected that potential buyers will often need to view cattle in advance of a purchase agreement. In this case a visa was required to facilitate this, however, after three months of waiting with no movement the buyer has decided to source cattle in another country.
“The Irish exporter in question has valued the loss of this, and future agreements with the buyer, at €6 million for this year alone,” the ICSA beef chair said.
Graham said the ramifications over the Libyan customer’s difficulties in securing a visa could be “huge” not just because of the contract in question, but in terms of attracting future buyers.
“At a time when very effort should be being made to increase our live exports this debacle demonstrates the opposite is being done with barriers being put in place that are driving buyers elsewhere.
“It is a big loss for the trade, and I am urging Minister McConalogue to consult with relevant department ministers to ensure valuable contracts like this are not lost in this manner again,” the ICSA beef chair said.