Scots turn on Irish

SCOTTISH farmers have turned on Irish beef exporters, as the beef cattle market slump in the UK and Ireland continues.

National Farmers’ Union Scotland (NFUS) President John Kinnaird said: “Domestic beef has moved onto the UK market earlier since the subsidy rules changed and Irish beef, originally destined for the Russian market, is now entering the UK as well.”

But Stuart Ashworth, of the Quality Meat Scotland marketing organisation, said exports from the Irish Republic were down by 6% this year.