Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 4

Written Answers. - Beef Exports.

Brendan Smith

Question:

48 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the trend in Irish beef exports in 2000; the way in which this compares to the volume and value of exports in the same period for each of the years 1997, 1998 and 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13748/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

There are no up-to-date trade statistics available for the value and volume of Irish beef exports to date this year. In the absence of such statistics, cattle slaughterings at export approved plants provide the most reliable guide to the trend relative to previous years.

Cattle slaughterings in the first four months of 2000 compared to the years 1997-99 were as follows:

Year	Slaughterings
1997	597,100
1998	659,236
1999	675,799
2000	634,933

The decline in export slaughterings is due to a fall in supplies of cattle arising from a combination of a 5% reduction in the national herd and increased live exports in recent years. The outlook for 2000 is for a 7% fall in beef exports, mainly to third countries, with a small increase in exports to the EU. The fall in beef exports, however, should be off-set to some extent by an increase in live exports.

Brendan Smith

Question:

49 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the trend in live cattle exports in 2000; the way in which this compares to the numbers exported in the same period in each of the years from 1997, to 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13747/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

(Mr. Walsh): Exports of live cattle in the first four months of each of the years 1997-00 were as follows:

Year	Quantity
1997	17,594
1998	40,946
1999	114,565
2000	155,837

As can be seen from the table, exports of live cattle have increased significantly in recent years. This increase has been driven predominantly by a high demand for calves and weanlings from continental European counties coupled with the increased availability of suitable stock in Ireland and the approval of additional shipping facilities for their export from Ireland. The demand comes mainly from Spanish and Italian fatteners and in the case of adult cattle from the Lebanon.