A Meath-based exporter plans to send 3,500 weanling bulls to Turkey at the end of April.

Global Livestock Ltd told the Irish Farmers Journal it has signed a contract with a private importer for 250kg to 350kg Continental breed bulls aged under 12 months.

The firm has started buying already and will continue buying over the coming weeks. The contract excludes Friesian and whitehead stock.

This will be Global Livestock’s first export order to Turkey. It is involved in cattle exports to EU markets and for a number of years it flew ram lambs to Singapore for the EID festival period.

Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed met with his Turkish counterpart on Thursday last week in Istanbul and discussed the reopening of the market to live Irish cattle.

“I assured my Turkish colleague that there is significant interest from industry in resuming that trade,” he said.

A number of joint projects are underway between Ireland and Turkey, he said. Under a knowledge transfer programme Turkish Ministry officials are learning about how the Department here administers EU animal welfare laws.

Turkish officials visited Ireland last month and a Turkish technical team will visit this summer.