Saudi Arabia lifts seven-year ban on Irish beef

SAUDI ARABIA has lifted a temporary ban on Irish beef, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said yesterday.

Saudi Arabia was closed to Irish beef following the upsurge of BSE in Europe seven years ago. The market is being reopened under conditions recommended by Saudi experts who visited Ireland in June.

Exports in the year prior to the ban were valued at about €33 million.

Ms Coughlan said the market re-opening was the result of intensive efforts at political, diplomatic and technical level. Following on from the visit to Saudi Arabia by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and herself earlier this year, her department, in co operation with An Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs, worked to get the ban lifted.

Ms Coughlan said Saudi Arabia was traditionally an important market for Irish beef. She said she expected trade to resume as soon as the individual slaughter plants designated to supply the market are approved by the Saudi authorities. “The decision by the competent authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reopen their market to Irish beef was taken following an on-the-spot examination of the rigorous controls applied and reflects the high standards of food safety controls in place in Ireland,” Ms Coughlan said.

IFA Livestock Committee chairman John Bryan said there were some good opportunities for Irish beef exports to Saudi and he expected the meat factories to maximise the potential for Irish farmers.

Mr Bryan said recent price cuts by the meat factories were not justified based on market returns. The factories have opened up a massive price gap of up to €200 per animal between prices in Ireland and its major export market in Britain.