Fears Mercosur could cost Irish beef sector up to €130m
Foreign ministers and delegates attend the opening session of the LXV Mercosur Summit in Montevideo on December 5, 2024. Picture: Nicolas GARCIA / AFP via Getty Images
The Mercosur Trade Agreement is predicted to cost the EU Beef Market around €1.3bn loss in value and have a disproportionate impact of €100-130m to the Irish beef sector, according to Meat Industry Ireland.
MII, the Ibec sector association representing beef, pork and lamb processing members, warned the agreement, if ratified, would open access for a further 99,000t of high-value steak cuts into the EU market. It will also lead to tariff reductions, in perpetuity, for the Mercosur beef exporters in the order of €400m a year.
