SF attempts to rescue beef industry
The major UK retailers who are Ireland’s biggest beef customers require either British-labelled beef (born, reared, and slaughtered in the UK), or Irish-labelled beef (born, reared, and slaughtered in the Republic of Ireland).
Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Ferris said his party colleague in the North, agriculture and rural development minister Michelle O’Neill, is happy to go to the EU seeking a derogation on the labeling issue.
“The traditional trade with the North, where cattle dealers came down to the South to buy cattle, has collapsed. Labelling issues have been used as a pretext to create barriers to that trade,” said Mr Ferris in last week’s Dáil debate of a beef industry motion proposed by Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman Éamon Ó Cuív.
Mr Ferris said Ms O’Neill has met representatives of farming groups, including the IFA, and has listened to their concerns, and is extremely concerned about the labelling situation, which is having a negative effect on the cross-border trade of cattle.
“She has raised this matter with the [Agriculture] Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the minister of state on a number of occasions, and wants their agreement to seek a derogation from Europe in respect of the current anomaly, said Mr Ferris, TD for Kerry North-West Limerick.
Meanwhile, in last week’s debate, more than a dozen TDs called for intervention in the beef industry to reduce processor control of the cattle market. Mr Ferris said: “When the beef barons want to, they can manipulate the market to collapse the prices. They are an all-powerful cartel.”
He said the Irish farmer received 57% of the average price of beef on the British retail market in 2013. In 2014, the retail price per kilo has risen by 7%, but the farmers’ share has dropped to 42%. “We need a beef regulator to oversee how this industry is operating because, above all, it is not fair. It is anything but fair.”
Several Fine Gael TDs were among those accusing processors of taking advantage of their dominant position. However, when the Dáil voted on the Ó Cuív motion, an amended Government version was carried by 69 votes to 36.
Ó Cuív called for a beef regulator to ensure there is no abuse of a dominant position in the beef market; urgent legislation for beef farmer producer groups; allowing cattle live export to Britain from Dublin in lorries; and solving the Northern Ireland labelling problem.
