Food Industry

Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Questions (490)

Holly Cairns

Question:

490. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking in response to CSO figures showing that 14,119 tonnes of beef was imported into Ireland in the first three months of 2023, including where this beef is being imported from and which markets it is servicing. [29835/23]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Central Statistics Office will release the April 2023, Goods Exports and Imports figures on Wednesday 21 June 2023. It is anticipated that there will be revisions to the beef import figures for the first quarter 2023 and for parts of 2022.

I will forward directly the requested data when available to the Deputy.

Ireland is amongst the largest net exporters of beef in the world and Irish farmers are significant beneficiaries of the EU global market and the rules bases global trading order upon which this is based.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.

According to the revised CSO data released on 21 June, total raw beef imports during the first four months of 2023 amounted to 11,235 tonnes and were worth almost €59m. These figures must be seen in the context of Irish beef exports to the end of April 2023 which amounted to 153,846 tonnes and were worth almost €975m. While the UK is the main source of beef imports, it remains a significant export market also as shown in the tables below.

Beef		Imports
		Jan – April 2023
	€000	Tonnes
United Kingdom	51,192	9,545
% of overall imports	87%	85%

Beef		Exports
		Jan – April 2023
	€000	Tonnes
United Kingdom	452,301	68,974
% of overall exports	46%	45%

Ireland is among the largest net beef exporters in the northern hemisphere. The Irish beef sector is critically dependent on international trade, and therefore, on a multilateral trading system operating under WTO rules, EU Single Market rules, and the Trade and Co-operation Agreement agreed between the EU and UK post Brexit.

In light of the significant benefits it derives from that system, Ireland cannot unilaterally depart from the rules that govern international trade; if it did, the impact of reciprocal action from our trading partners could be catastrophic for our export dependent agri-food sector.

Neither the CSO nor DAFM compile data on the markets being serviced by imported beef but any meat imported from third countries, including Great Britain, is subject to certification requirements and the import control system operated by this Department at border control posts. The traceability standards of Irish beef are strictly enforced through our regulatory system.