DEAR SIR: With Bord Bia forecasting 100,000 more cattle for 2017, an increase in calf births and cattle prices at unviable levels, the live export trade was never more important. It is essential to drive competition and get a balance back into the beef trade in order to deliver higher prices for farmers.

A strong live export trade for calves is vital. IFA has been working on calf exports for this spring and has met a number of the exporters and the Department of Agriculture in recent weeks. The transport difficulties exporting to the Netherlands need to be resolved immediately with the EU Commission. Irish farmers must have access to the EU single market. The charges on the live trade are too high and IFA is demanding the removal of fees of up to €8 on calf exports. It is completely unfair that calves worth between €80 and €150 per head would have to pay the same level of charge as finished animals going through a factory worth €1,400 per head.

The live export trade to Turkey in 2016 proved critical to the weanling trade last autumn. It is essential that this trade is vibrant again in 2017. Other international live export markets with significant potential include Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Morocco.

Minister Creed needs to undertake an early visit to Egypt to maximise the capacity of this market. The IFA is demanding more designated boats to be approved for the live trade. Currently there are four boats cleared to sail and another boat is due for inspection. In addition, there are three more boats lined up for approval and it is important that these are approved to service the new and emerging live export markets.

We are also demanding that the restrictions on labelling impeding the important live trade to Northern Ireland and Britain are resolved.

It is not acceptable that processors and retailers are allowed to block the trade by unfairly using EU labelling legislation.

Export trade

Minister Creed and his Department must ensure a strong live export trade for all our livestock, including calves, weanlings, stores and finished cattle is fully supported and maximised in 2017.