Measures in place to protect Irish farmers' interests in Mercosur Trade Agreement
A modest increase in imports would be concentrated on high-quality cuts, and will displace some Irish beef in the EU market if there are no mitigating actions. File Picture.
A marginal reduction of around €50m, compared to an annual €2.3bn value of Irish beef output, would result from ratification of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, according to an assessment of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement commissioned by the Government.
Additional beef supply could be expected from Mercosur countries, but the amount will be limited, and phased in over six years, according to the assessment prepared by the EU-based Implement Economics consulting group, with inputs from stakeholders representing agriculture, business and industry, NGOs, government departments and enterprise and environmental agencies, and from a steering group of representatives from the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, and from Teagasc.
