Tariff cuts ‘will damage sheep meet sector’

THE trade tariff cuts proposed by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson would seriously damage the Irish sheep meat sector, the IFA has warned.

Sheep Committee chairman Laurence Fallon, speaking after meeting with senior European Commission officials in Brussels, said import tariff cuts from 45% to 50% would result in a flood of cheap unregulated lamb from New Zealand, Australia and South America onto the EU market.

He said sheep meat prices in all the main producing countries including Britain, France, Spain and Ireland are down. Production is also falling in these countries.