Questions over the current state of the sheep trade were the focus of a joint Oireachtas committee discussion, where issues surrounding imports and exports of sheepmeat to Ireland were thrashed out.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine met last week to resume their discussion on the development of the sheep sector.
Those attending included representatives from Bord Bia and Meat Industry Ireland (MII), who faced questions from individuals including Michael Collins, the independent TD for Cork South West, and Claire Kerrane TD for Sinn Féin in Roscommon-Galway.
Kerrane asked why there was a significant amount of sheepmeat imported into Ireland.
Dale Crammond, MII director said: “There is always a demand. Having these carcases processed in the plants enables processors to spread their overheads and costs over a wider volume of sheep.”
Sheep imports
Regarding the imports of sheep into Ireland, Crammond, said: “So far this year, we have imported about 197,000 [sheep].”
Crammond said that annual figures for live sheep imports “tends to be up around 400,000 sheep”, with “nearly all from Northern Ireland”.
He said the figures so far this year means imports are “on track for that annual figure of around 400,000”.
The imports to Ireland, Crammond said, are “all from Northern Ireland and a very small amount from mainland UK”.
Deputy Collins asked the Bord Bia and MII representatives where lamb carcasses that are imported to Ireland are utilised.
Crammond said: “About 6,000 or 7,000t of carcasses come into the country for further processing. Given the size of the sector as a whole, this is not very significant.”
Bord Bia chief executive Jim O’Toole added: “Any of the imported lamb product may be used on the domestic market or exported to other market destinations, but it is not designated as Irish or quality assured by Bord Bia.”
Exports
Deputy Michael Collins asked about ways in which sheep farmers could see improvements in the prices they were receiving for their output.
O’Toole replied to Collins by saying that seeking further markets for exports would be a solution to the issue of price.
He said: “We have an awareness campaign in markets to which we do not yet have full access, but we are building the case. These markets include Korea, Japan, China and the United States.
“As in other meat sectors, and as is true regarding all our food exports, the more export options we have to try to sell different cuts and products in different markets at different times of the year to maximise our return, the better.
Dale Crammond added: “We are working through a Chinese protocol for lamb. It will be difficult and we are trying to understand it a little bit better.
“We got a first draft of a protocol from the department as recently as last week and we are working through it.
“On the US, it is a similar challenge. We have access now in theory but we have to make it work commercially.
“The US has a certain way of doing things from a food safety perspective and we have to prove now that our plants are equivalent to its food safety standards. That work is ongoing.”