Meat industry wants agri-food sector defended at WTO

A TOUGH defence of the agri-food sector in Ireland and the rest of the European Union is being sought by Meat Industry Ireland in the world trade negotiations, which enter a crucial phase in Geneva today.

MII, representing processors, said the EU is the largest importer of food and agricultural products in the world and its offer on market access has already conceded too much on import tariff reductions.

Cormac Healy, spokesman, said tough pragmatic negotiation on agriculture does not mean disadvantages for Ireland in other elements of the WTO.