IFA president Joe Healy and ICSA beef chair Edmond Phelan have welcomed the news from Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed about the reopening of beef exports to Egypt.
The president said the opening of the market is “a positive development for the beef sector” and that the opening of the market has much to do with an IFA campaign on market access over the last two years.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that five Irish plants have been approved under the new agreement reached between Egyptian authorities and the Department of Agriculture.
Healy also called for a strong beef price increase from the meat factories, saying there was a full clear-out of retail beef sales over the holiday period and factories are “very anxious” for cattle again in the new year. He said a significant price increase is well justified based on strong demand and improved market and exchange rate returns.
ICSA beef chair Edmond Phelan also welcomed the reopening of the Egyptian market to Irish beef. Speaking following Minister Creed’s announcement, Phelan said: “This news is indeed welcome and timely as we need all the markets we can get to facilitate increasing cattle numbers. However, farmers will be keen to see if this move will strengthen beef prices. That will be the real test.”
The ICSA is also in discussion with the Central Bank on facilitating financial transactions between Ireland and Iran.
Phelan also commended Minister Creed on his efforts to open live trade with Algeria, saying that “with extra cattle supplies, these ongoing efforts to secure new markets are vital. We would also like to see the same efforts put into the potentially lucrative Iran market. The ICSA has been lobbying for the reopening of the Irish Embassy in Tehran and has had talks with the Iranian Embassy on this issue. The ICSA is also in discussion with the Central Bank on facilitating financial transactions between Ireland and Iran which currently do not exist.”
Call for major diplomatic initiative
Healy also touched on live export markets saying that a major diplomatic initiative needs to be led by the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to maximize every single market opportunity on live exports in 2017.
Irish Farmers Journal
7 January
