The number of Irish cattle being exported to Northern Ireland for slaughter has increased substantially over the past three months. This comes in spite of processors and retailers claiming there are ongoing issues with country-of-origin labelling.

In September, there were 5,152 cattle exported to NI for further feeding and direct slaughter. The figure is almost 200 head higher than the corresponding total for September 2012, before there were any issues over labelling.

Furthermore, it is 2,300 head higher than September 2011, but down 1,200 head on September 2013 levels.

Northern wholesalers and agents for Foyle Meats have been very active in buying Irish cattle, according to sources. It has been reported on several occasions that Foyle Meats has been buying southern cattle to fill its own feedlots. The processor is a major supplier of Tesco, which has been most vocal on the “nomad” labelling issue.

Exports of Irish cattle to NI during the first six months of 2014 were down 5,000 head on 2013 levels as northern processors refused to kill southern cattle, citing that retailers would not accept these cattle unless they were labelled as “nomads”.

However, it appears that since supplies of finished cattle in NI have severely tightened over September, and with the exchange rate moving in favour of sterling buyers, that processors are less concerned about the country-of-origin issue when sourcing cattle.

Irish beef exports to Britain have risen by 20% in two years, exclusive Irish Farmers Journal data has revealed.

Figures collated by the Central Statistics Office and analysed by the Irish Farmers Journal show that exports of fresh and chilled bone and boneless meat across the Irish Sea went from 154,922t for the period of January to August 2012 to 186,723t for the same period this year. These figures have been echoed by British beef and lamb promotion company Eblex in recent times.