P. J. Sheehan
Question:67 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the Middle East countries accepting live Irish cattle; and the number of live cattle exported to each of those countries since 1 January 1999. [10985/99]
Written Answers. - Beef Exports.
Middle East countries are major market outlets for the Irish cattle and beef industry. Also, the nature of the trade has changed over the past two years.
To date in 1999, exports of live cattle, all of which have been consigned to Lebanon, have amounted to 20,903 head. This compares with 6,678 exported to that market in the same period last year.
Beef exports to the Middle East region have substantially increased. During the first quarter of this year, Egypt and the Gulf states are estimated to have purchased over 30,000 tonnes of Irish beef which in terms of cattle equivalent amounts to about 100,000 head. Last year Egypt was the largest single market for Irish beef, importing the equivalent of over 300,000 cattle.