Meat Industry Ireland said in a statement that its members are increasingly concerned at difficulties hampering meat exports to the key French market.

“In addition to the disruption at ferry ports in recent weeks, the French producer protest action is now also impacting negatively on business,” MII said.

France is Ireland's largest export market for lamb, taking in 18,000 tonnes of our sheepmeat every year, and second only to the UK for our beef exports with 55,000 tonnes annually.

French livestock farmers stepped up protests against low farmgate prices mid-July, blockading roads, milk and meat factories and tourist sites.

Actions are continuing this week, including pickets along the German border. The protests have compounded transport difficulties as illegal migrants and police operations against them have repeatedly disrupted traffic at French ports connecting the UK and Ireland to the continent.

9 in 10 French people support farmers' protests

“The farmer protest action, which has been intensifying in recent weeks is now leading to moves by some French customers to cease purchasing imported meat,” MII said.

An opinion survey of French citizens last week showed that 88% of respondents supported the farmers’ protests and 81% were prepared to pay more for French rather than imported meat and dairy products.

This has bolstered the leading farmers’ union in the country, FNSEA, to continue the protests. While he cautioned against any violence, its president Xavier Beulin at the weekend urged farmers to “continue the fight for French livestock farming”.

Irish meat processors are also concerned about French government calls to all public institutions to purchase only French products in an effort to support the local production.

“These actions are a cause for significant concern for Irish meat exports,” MII said “In particular, the lamb trade is very vulnerable given the traditional high level of exports of Irish lamb to the French market during our peak production season.”

ICMSA takes cue from French protests

The demands of French farmers and their government's response, however, are beginning to inspire farming representatives elsewhere.

France's Deparments of Agriculture and Finance introduced multiple tax breaks and deferrements for livestock producers last week, as well as €500m in bank loan guarantees for struggling meat processors - some of which owe arrears to farmers.

The French government estimates that one in 10 farmers is facing serious financial difficulties.

ICMSA President John Comer said on Tuesday that farmers were becoming frustrated at the lack of action from the Irish Government and the EU Commission in relation to measures to stabilise dairy markets.

“Unless farmers see light at the end of the tunnel shortly and with some action at national and EU level to stabilise milk prices, this frustration will grow amongst farmers and they will make their feelings known,” he warned in a statement.

“The proposal to delay the payment of income tax for a period of three months has direct relevance to Irish farmers,” Comer added. “Irish farmers will argue strongly if it can be done in France when product prices are poor, there is absolutely no reason why a similar initiative cannot be introduced in Ireland.”

In the UK, the National Farmers' Union, too, has been calling for support measures similar to those introduced in France for the dairy sector.