An Irish exporting company is currently preparing an order for the Libyan market. Purcell Brothers, the Waterford-based firm, is now sourcing bulls for this shipment.
The consignment – which is set to depart in early September – will consist of Friesian bulls, with the exporter in the market for suitable bulls weighing 200-400kg.
The boatload will consist of some 3,000 bulls and will depart from Waterford Port.
Turkey
Also, the same exporter has started assembling weanling bulls for the Turkish market. Purcell Brothers is procuring continental bulls weighing 300kg for this market.
This consignment will set sail later in the autumn. However, the exporter noted that this market is “difficult”, with challenges posed by the weak Turkish lira.
In November 2019, officials in Turkey stopped issuing new licences for the importation of live cattle into the country.
However, in June 2020, the Turkish ministry announced that the live importation of weanling cattle was set to resume in the autumn with the issuing of new licences.
This live export buying activity is welcome news for farmers as we head into the busy autumn period for weanling sales. These export buyers added a lot of competition around the sale ring in autumn 2019.