Egypt the focus for exports drive

Cairo: A delegation of senior officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food and Bord Bia is in Cairo this week for meetings with Egyptian authorities to review the arrangements for the beef and cattle trade between the two countries.

Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said this initiative reflects her personal commitment to ensure free and open access to every international market for Irish meat products.

She said she is committed to further easing the conditions of entry to the Egyptian market so that shipments in commercial quantities can continue this year.

She has already secured the agreement of EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel to the retention of the special export refund for Egypt.

ICMSA president Pat O’Rourke said every effort must now be made towards a restoration of Ireland’s beef and live trade to Egypt to the kind of levels achieved ten years ago.

He said that Ireland can provide Egyptian customers with the assurances necessary to ensure that this very valuable trade is resumed.

The Egyptian market was worth €150 million to the Irish beef sector in 1999, taking over 110,000 tonnes. The live export trade - at its peak in 1994 - took 255,000 head of cattle from Ireland. This trade ceased in 1997.

Mr O’Rourke said a reopening of these markets would represent a very considerable benefit to Irish farmers.

“In particular, ICMSA believes that the live export trade for cattle could play a hugely important role in supporting beef prices during the autumn period,” he added.