I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together.
The tables detail the volume and value of beef imports and exports since 2007.
Irish beef imports
Year
|
Volume (tonnes cwe)
|
Value €
|
2007
|
22,743
|
72.92m
|
2008
|
24,252
|
84.36m
|
2009
|
26,792
|
88.86m
|
2010
|
28,802
|
106.48m
|
2011 (to Aug)
|
20,739
|
74.63m
|
Irish beef exports
Year
|
Volume (tonnes cwe)
|
Value €
|
2007
|
523,000
|
1.5 bn
|
2008
|
483,000
|
1.5bn
|
2009
|
460,000
|
1.4bn
|
2010
|
505,000
|
1.5bn
|
2011 (CSO to Aug)
|
307,000
|
1.17bn
|
As is set out in the table for exports beef accounted for around €1.5 billion of approximately €7.9 billion of food exports in 2010, and the live cattle trade, which reached almost 140,000 head for the year, was worth an additional €183m. Beef exports in 2011 are expected to grow by 9% to upwards of €1.7 billion for the year. In the first six months of 2011, exports of fresh and frozen beef from Ireland increased 4% as demand from outside the EU boosted shipments.
The shift in the dynamics of the global beef market has resulted in a substantial convergence between EU and world beef prices and I am satisfied that this will create new and significant opportunities for the Irish beef industry over the next five years.