One big cattle exporter has begun buying cattle for Turkey following last week’s trade visit there by an Irish delegation led by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.

Export company Viastar is now seeking heavy bulls of 400kg to 800kg for export. It will supply these bulls under a contract being finalised with Turkey’s dairy and meat board (ESK), the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

Other exporters are likely to resume buying feeder weight bulls, for Turkey, from April.

During last week’s visit, Minister Creed was told that, from May, private sector buyers will be permitted to directly import cattle for fattening. He was told this by the Turkish Minister for Agriculture HE Ahmet Esref Fakibaba and by the director general of the ESK. At present, the ESK controls cattle imports under a central tendering system.

Irish exporters are likely to commence negotiating immediately with Turkish buyers.

“Being able to sell fattening cattle direct to private buyers will open up valuable new opportunities for trade,” Minister Creed said.

He and Minister Fakibaba also agreed to set up an official contact group of senior officials from the Irish and Turkish departments. They will review Turkey’s technical and certification rules on cattle imports.

Irish exporters would welcome any increase in weight and age limits or easing of costly quarantine requirements. The indication in Izmir last week was that Turkish authorities could agree to increase the 300kg maximum weight limit. This would increase the pool of eligible cattle.

Strong demand

Bord Bia’s markets manager Joe Burke, who took part in the trip, said that consumer demand for beef was very strong in Turkey. Under the new trade arrangements, exports from Ireland could increase to exceed 50,000 head in 2018, he said. They were 30,500 in 2017.

IFA livestock chair Angus Woods welcomed the development and said Turkey was now likely to become a major market for Irish cattle.

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