Irish livestock exports increase, PvdD wants import ban

In Ireland, a sharp increase in cattle exports is expected this year, writes state agency Bord Bia. According to the agency, the Netherlands and Spain in particular will purchase more calves this year. On the other hand, the Party for the Animals (PvdD) calls for an import stop of calves from Ireland, among others.

Irish livestock exports, according to Plate Bia, rising to 300.000 units this year. “There have been 266.101 cattle exported from Ireland so far this year, which is expected to break the level of 300.000 by the end of the year,” it said. This is an increase of 20% compared to last year. It is expected that more than 190.000 calves will be exported. "These calves will mainly go to the Netherlands and Spain. Those countries have already imported 80.000 head alone."

According to Bord Bia, China is an emerging market for Irish beef producers. "We have tested the Chinese market this year and the initial results are positive. As a result, 19 Irish slaughterhouses received approval last year to export beef to China," Bord Bia reported in Agriland magazine. If the level of 300.000 is reached, that will be the highest export level of the past 15 years.

Import stop
Although Ireland has positive expectations for the Netherlands, this could change in the short term. The Party for the Animals is calling House of Representatives namely to impose an import stop for calves from Ireland, Latvia and Denmark as soon as possible. Calf imports have been growing for a number of years in a row and have even doubled last year from Ireland, for example. A group of about 4.000 dairy farmers are also in favor of this import stop.

According to the proponents of the motion of the PvdD the supply of calves in the Netherlands is so great that the yields for livestock farmers are very low. "It also plays a role that these 'import calves' only live for a short time and the meat is exported in 90% of the cases," the party writes. The Netherlands is now the largest producer of veal in Europe. The House of Representatives will vote on the motion of the Party for the Animals on Tuesday 19 November.

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Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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