There is no silver bullet in terms of a new market that will save Ireland and the beef sector from the impact of a no-deal Brexit, Cormac Healy, director of Meat Industry Ireland (MII), told RTÉ’s Countrywide on Saturday morning.
He said while the industry has been working on market access to new markets, “none of those will act as a replacement in terms of volume or value for Irish beef”.
No silver bullet
“There is no silver bullet in terms of a new market that will save us. We now have a situation where processors are processing animals today and in the week we’re in, where some of that beef probably won’t be going into the UK market until after the 29 March, therefore we’re already into the risk period,” he said.
Healy said there has to be something found in the form of a tariff support mechanism or offset mechanism to allow us to continue to supply the UK market with beef and not allow the market to be thrown open to competitors from throughout the world.
“The industry has been focused on doing everything possible to be as competitive as it can. It had to meet that challenge because we’ve seen sterling weaken by 10% since the vote took place. Equally, the industry is working on market access with the Department and with Bord Bia and making some progress in terms of access to China and other southeast Asian markets,” he said.
Challenging
“It is challenging. It’s largely a fresh beef market we’re supplying, therefore it’s not a question that one can stockpile product. You’re trying to supply a fresh, just in time [product] to a very advanced consumer market there,” he said.
“Our priority in any support mechanism that we find has to be that Irish beef continues to be supplied into the UK market and we continue to service customers that we’ve developed relationships with over many years.”
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There is no silver bullet in terms of a new market that will save Ireland and the beef sector from the impact of a no-deal Brexit, Cormac Healy, director of Meat Industry Ireland (MII), told RTÉ’s Countrywide on Saturday morning.
He said while the industry has been working on market access to new markets, “none of those will act as a replacement in terms of volume or value for Irish beef”.
No silver bullet
“There is no silver bullet in terms of a new market that will save us. We now have a situation where processors are processing animals today and in the week we’re in, where some of that beef probably won’t be going into the UK market until after the 29 March, therefore we’re already into the risk period,” he said.
Healy said there has to be something found in the form of a tariff support mechanism or offset mechanism to allow us to continue to supply the UK market with beef and not allow the market to be thrown open to competitors from throughout the world.
“The industry has been focused on doing everything possible to be as competitive as it can. It had to meet that challenge because we’ve seen sterling weaken by 10% since the vote took place. Equally, the industry is working on market access with the Department and with Bord Bia and making some progress in terms of access to China and other southeast Asian markets,” he said.
Challenging
“It is challenging. It’s largely a fresh beef market we’re supplying, therefore it’s not a question that one can stockpile product. You’re trying to supply a fresh, just in time [product] to a very advanced consumer market there,” he said.
“Our priority in any support mechanism that we find has to be that Irish beef continues to be supplied into the UK market and we continue to service customers that we’ve developed relationships with over many years.”
Read more
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SuperValu under fire over ‘Argentinian’ steak
Potential beef bailout delays progress on National Broadband Plan
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