Confirmation this week that Dawn Meats has secured a 65% stake in New Zealand’s largest meat processor will have farmers here wondering what the impact will be for those supplying Dawn on Irish soil.

Alliance processes 500,000 cattle and 6m sheep through its six factories.

Dawn Meats CEO Niall Browne has played down the risk of Irish beef and sheepmeat being displaced in the European market by its New Zealand counterpart.

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On page 26, Browne tells Phelim O’Neill the deal is a ‘win-win’ for Irish farmers, and will open up access for Irish meat to the United States and Canada.

However, sheep farmers in particular will be nervous that increased availability of New Zealand product in the northern hemisphere will pose a threat to demand for Irish meat.