Drop in Third Country beef exports
EU figures to the end of the 2003-04 GATT year on June 30 last show that Irish exports fell by 13 per cent during the year with just over 73,000 tonnes including both beef and live animals.
Within this, total fresh and frozen beef accounted for 92 per cent at a total of 67,000 tonnes. Exports of live animals represented a total equivalent of 5,400 tonnes carcass weight.
The decline in Irish exports was the second largest of member states with Spain showing a drop of 16 per cent and exports from France showing a marginal decline during the year.
Overall the volume of beef exported under licence during the year increased by seven per cent.
That increase took place during the final four months of the year - March to June -during which the issue of licences was up 38 per cent on the same period in the previous GATT year, offsetting a decline of 22 per cent which occurred during the period December 2003 to February 2004.
In assessing the outcome for the year Bord Bia points out that the increase in licences for the final four months of the year to June 30 reflected stronger cattle disposals in Germany and an increase in the volume of beef available for export in Italy.
