It is too early to resume timber shipments from Scotland, the IFA has claimed.

The farm body called for the continuation of the ‘temporary pause’ on imports which was introduced in late August.

IFA farm forestry chair, Padraig Stapleton, said Irish forestry was too valuable a natural resource to expose unnecessarily to the threat posed by spruce bark beetles.

“It is vital that Ireland does everything it can to keep the island free of these beetles,” Stapleton said.

“The precautionary pause on imports from pest free area (PFA) in Scotland introduced in late August was a huge relief to farmers,” Stapleton maintained.

The preventative measure was introduced after three large larch bark beetles were found in a trap in a Cork port.

At the time, roundwood logs from Scotland's PFA were moving through Passage West. It is thought that the beetles could have hitchhiked on this timber, although this has not yet been confirmed.

While the investigation continues, Scottish Forestry will not issue any phytosanitary certificates for logwood exports.

“Scottish Forestry’s tree health team are in regular contact with their counterparts in Ireland over this finding. We have both agreed that a precautionary pause in the movement of timber is the right course of action whilst investigations progress. We need to carry out further tracing and surveillance then carefully consider next steps and take a judgement based on the evidence,” said James Nott, head of tree health at Scottish Forestry.

However, IFA has insisted that Ireland cannot rush decisions around the resumption of timber imports from Scotland.

“The reality is that it is no longer possible to guarantee that the PFA in Scotland is free from great spruce bark beetles in all areas. This was acknowledged by forestry officials at the time of the introduction of the pause on imports,” Stapleton claimed.

“The pause on the importation of timber from Scotland is the correct decision. If we want farmers to plant more trees, then we need to demonstrate that Ireland is taking plant heath seriously,” he said.

“The experience from Europe is that overlooking just one bark beetle can lead to widespread infestation, so we must remain vigilant and maintain the pause on importation. Ireland’s forests cannot be unnecessarily exposed from short-term gains, the economic consequences are just too great,” Stapleton said.