The need for having increased numbers of live exports to NI was stressed by ICOS at a meeting with Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney last week.

Chair of the ICOS marts committee Michael Spellman said that with the crucial autumn weanling trade only around the corner, there is a need to have northern buyers at mart rings in the Republic. He added that there is an “effective ban by Irish-owned meat plants in Northern Ireland on killing live cattle from the Republic of Ireland”.

“The maintenance of a vigorous live trade with Northern Ireland is a vital source of additional competition for livestock, which helps underpin the autumn trade in marts,” Spellman said.

He stressed to Minister Coveney that fines being imposed by factories on Irish cattle being slaughtered in NI is making northern buyers think twice about buying at marts in the Republic.

“Farmers in Northern Ireland who bought cattle from the south last autumn are facing a major financial hit as they now go to sell these animals into the factories. It is a case of once bitten, twice shy and unless the irrational and unwarranted €150 fine is removed by the factories, Northern Ireland farmers won’t buy cattle from the south again this year,” Spellman said.