Egyptian return is big boost to trade

THE re-opening of the Egyptian market for Irish live cattle exports will be very good news for West of Ireland suckler and beef farmers, according to Galway IFA Livestock Committee Chairman, Michael Flynn.

Prior to the shutting down of the Egyptian market around 2,000 – due primarily to the BSE crisis – the Middle East country imported around 100,000 head of cattle each year from Ireland.

The closure of the Egyptian trade – along with the ending of the Libyan outlet due to instability in that country – has been a major body blow to the cattle trade in Ireland for over the past decade.

Earlier this month, Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, confirmed that following the report of an Egyptian veterinary delegation to Ireland, the market would be re-opening over the coming weeks and months.

The absence of a vibrant live export trade has been seen by IFA leaders as ‘playing into the hands’ of the meat plant monopoly situation in Ireland over recent years.

The Eygptians, according to Michael Flynn, are essentially interested in the better quality continentals or good quality Hereford crosses, ready for slaughter or very close to finishing.

“I can reassure farmers that this is very good news for the cattle trade. We really have been missing a strong live export outlet to provide competition for the factories – this is a very important development for the beef sector,” said Michael Flynn.

He said that the boats were ‘ready and waiting’ to move the cattle out of Ireland while Egypt was a country with a proven track record in terms of paying up front for any stock they imported.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.