No deal means, meat imports and exports will stop

The Irish Farmers’ Association has called for an immediate halt to beef imports to the European Union if there is no deal after Brexit.

IFA President Tim Cullinan has called for the termination of the Mercosur trade agreement, which allows large quantities of beef to be imported into the European Union, in the wake of the No Deal.

He said if there was a no deal, beef exports to the UK would also fall.

Cullinan, meanwhile, told the Oriachos Agricultural Committee that he was concerned about whether the UK would import beef with a third country, even though there was no deal after Brexit.

This can lead to the import of poor quality beef or chlorinated chicken. He added that in this case, Irish beef would need an EU export outlet.

Ireland exports 5.5 billion worth of food to the UK each year. However, Cullinan estimates that the tariff will cost exports about 1.5 billion.

At the same time, the organization failed to find new markets as Brexit approached, and the Cullinan board strongly blamed Bia.

He also informed the committee that it was too late to take a decision. He said he had been asking for such action for the last two years and no one had taken it seriously at the time.

Board Bia, the semi-state body responsible for marketing Irish food, beverages and horticulture, previously estimated that 37% of Irish food exports went to the UK.

Cullinan said Irish beef needs special alternative markets. He was responding to a question from Senator Paul Daly about whether there might be new opportunities from Brexit.

He also suggested that the UK potatoes used to make chips be banned from being sold in Ireland after Brexit.

At the same time, he pointed out that there are many vegetable growers in Ireland who are losing out as supermarkets announce big offers during the Christmas season and the widespread import of vegetables from abroad is affecting Irish vegetables.

He added that retailers should market Irish products and consumers should support Irish products.