French lairage owners have confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal expansion plans to be able to house more calves in 2020.

“I’m currently buying pens. The specifications are not easy,” said Jean-Luc Pignet, who is planning to add at least 600 calf places to his 1,500-head lairage near Cherbourg port before seeking approval from the local authorities.

“We’ll have more capacity next year,” he said. Meanwhile, Robert Drique of the neighbouring Qualivia lairage confirmed that he had received approval for a 400-head extension in the past week, bringing daily capacity to 2,900 head.

Storm disruption

Both French lairages have been hosting Irish calves at full capacity since ferry sailings re-opened after storm disruption on Tuesday last week.

IFA president Joe Healy visited France last week and urged Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and the French authorities to speed up the delivery of up to 2,000-head additional capacity in Cherbourg. He also called for the use of Qualivia’s other lairage in Abbeville, 250km away, as an overflow facility. That lairage has capacity for 5,000 calves and was recently renovated to the highest standards with EU funding.

“The minister’s strategy was based on the shipping companies sailing on alternate days. This didn’t happen and now we have a logjam,” Healy said, adding that this puts pressure on prices.

Approval

“In the circumstances, the minister should work with the French authorities to get approval for the additional capacity for 2,000 extra calves a week which can be delivered in Cherbourg, and to have Abbeville reopened as on overflow.

“This is a critical issue for the dairy and the beef sectors as calves exported now will reduce the supply of cattle in the future and reduce the pressure on cattle prices,” he said.