I attach considerable importance to the live export trade and, together with my Department, I have been very active in facilitating both the cross border live trade and shipments abroad. Live exports serve a dual purpose as a means of satisfying market demands for live animals and providing alternative market outlets for farmers. Total live exports to date this year stand at almost 203,000 head, of which almost 51,000 have gone to the UK, an increase of some 5,300 head or nearly 12% up on the comparable period in 2013. Allied to this, exports to Continental EU now stand at over 136,300 head, an increase of over 20,400 head or 17.5%. Please see details of live exports (Head of cattle and sheep) from Ireland, by destination, as follows.
2014 Cattle to Date
|
|
2013 Cattle
|
|
2012 Cattle
|
|
France
|
5242
|
France
|
6953
|
France
|
236
|
Netherlands
|
38055
|
Netherlands
|
31521
|
Netherlands
|
15043
|
Germany
|
366
|
Germany
|
1010
|
Germany
|
122
|
Italy
|
26654
|
Italy
|
26048
|
Italy
|
37019
|
Greece
|
1073
|
UK
|
65395
|
UK
|
72985
|
Portugal
|
41
|
Greece
|
1576
|
Denmark
|
219
|
Spain
|
43542
|
Portugal
|
94
|
Greece
|
2502
|
Belgium
|
21247
|
Spain
|
36844
|
Portugal
|
109
|
Czech Rep.
|
10
|
Belgium
|
19468
|
Spain
|
15198
|
Hungary
|
105
|
Hungary
|
58
|
Belgium
|
10091
|
Romania
|
23
|
Romania
|
421
|
Hungary
|
1021
|
Morocco
|
377
|
Russia
|
239
|
Romania
|
307
|
Tunisia
|
951
|
Morocco
|
1070
|
Slovenia
|
250
|
Libya
|
14338
|
Tunisia
|
3164
|
Russia
|
721
|
Rwanda
|
28
|
Libya
|
14542
|
Kazakhstan
|
765
|
Lebanon
|
68
|
Rwanda
|
103
|
Kosovo
|
95
|
UK
|
50405
|
|
|
Morocco
|
2335
|
|
|
|
|
Tunisia
|
1299
|
2014 Sheep to Date
|
|
2013 Sheep
|
|
2012 Sheep
|
|
Belgium
|
11225
|
Belgium
|
6249
|
Belgium
|
5396
|
Germany
|
7214
|
Germany
|
16137
|
Germany
|
9636
|
France
|
13044
|
France
|
10964
|
France
|
11548
|
UK
|
2915
|
UK
|
1739
|
UK
|
3097
|
Italy
|
7533
|
Italy
|
11108
|
Italy
|
6953
|
Netherlands
|
743
|
Netherlands
|
887
|
Netherlands
|
1003
|
|
|
Libya
|
21443
|
|
|