Ornua – the Irish dairy exporter cooperative behind the Kerrygold brand – has urged both the EU and US trade negotiators to reconsider the impact of the US’ incoming additional 25% tariffs on a range of EU exports – including Irish dairy products.
The imposition of tariffs on Irish exports including butter, cheese, liqueurs and pork products follows the US winning the largest arbitration award in World Trade Organization (WTO) history in its dispute with the EU over illegal subsidies to aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
In a brief statement reacting to the news of the tariffs, a spokesperson for Ornua said:
“Disappointingly, our cooperative is one of many EU exporters that have become caught up in a tariff dispute that is outside of our control, originating in the civil aviation sector.
Any new trade tariff is an unwelcome barrier to doing business and will have a significant cost impact on our business.
“If this tariff cost cannot be recovered in the market, it will negatively impact our supply chain,” the representative added.
It was noted that, in anticipation of the WTO’s decision, the cooperative has been preparing its business “by having appropriate risk mitigation measures in place”.
“That said, we urge both parties to reconsider the impact of these tariffs and we renew calls for a settlement to be reached that does not impact on companies and brands who are not directly involved in any aspect of this dispute,” the Ornua spokesperson concluded.