Ireland’s position as Britain’s leading beef supplier will be threatened by the UK’s determination to secure global trade deals, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has conceded.

More than half Ireland’s beef exports, or almost 250,000 tonnes, are exported to Britain each year, with the trade worth around €1.2 billion annually.

Reports that the UK is close to signing a trade deal with Australia which would give tariff-free access to Aussie beef have prompted serious concerns in the Irish industry.

“Future UK bilateral trade deals with other countries, particularly the USA, Australia, Mercosur and New Zealand, are recognised as a potential threat to our meat exports to the UK market in the future,” said Cormac Healy of MII.

“These countries are major meat exporters and generally lower priced, and with increased access to the UK market, would intensify competition.

 

“Our best approach to maintaining our position in the market and meeting any new competition is to focus on the close and long-standing relationships with UK customers and delivering fresh, high-quality product to their exacting specifications.”

 

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In 2020, the UK imported 314,000t of beef, more than 70pc of which was supplied from Ireland. Just 1,500t was imported from Australia in 2020 — 0.15pc.

However, given that Australia exports 2.3m tonnes each year, there are growing concerns that it could shift product from lower-priced markets in China or the US to supply Britain.

Fears of increased competition from Australia have already provoked a strong reaction from British and Northern Irish farm leaders, with the NFU and UFU warning of disastrous consequences for UK beef producers if Australia was given unfettered access to its market.

The issue was also raised in the Dáil last week, with Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, to commission an impact assessment for Ireland of a possible UK-Australia trade deal.

Details of any possible trade deal have yet to be finalised, but major differences have already emerged within the Conservative government regarding the scope of any agreement.