The announcement yesterday by Minister Creed of an
extension of Ireland’s beef approval to Saudi Arabia is another step in the pursuit of normalisation for export markets. However, in terms of the amount of beef sold, it will not make much difference for Irish farmers.Saudi Arabia is a wealthy country by virtue of its massive oil reserves and has a population of 33m, most of whom are Muslim. This means that any beef sent to Saudi Arabia must be Halal-slaughtered, while most Irish factories operate with what is considered to be the more humane stun and bleed process. It is also a requirement of many major customers of Irish beef that their suppliers use this system of slaughter, despite the fact that they also carry ranges of Halal-slaughtered beef and lamb to satisfy their Muslim customers.
The announcement yesterday by Minister Creed of an extension of Ireland’s beef approval to Saudi Arabia is another step in the pursuit of normalisation for export markets. However, in terms of the amount of beef sold, it will not make much difference for Irish farmers.
Saudi Arabia is a wealthy country by virtue of its massive oil reserves and has a population of 33m, most of whom are Muslim. This means that any beef sent to Saudi Arabia must be Halal-slaughtered, while most Irish factories operate with what is considered to be the more humane stun and bleed process. It is also a requirement of many major customers of Irish beef that their suppliers use this system of slaughter, despite the fact that they also carry ranges of Halal-slaughtered beef and lamb to satisfy their Muslim customers.
197t exported last year
Ireland is approved to export to 70 countries but Saudi Arabia is at the lower end of this list in importance for Ireland. In 2016 according to CSO figures, it bought just 197t of Irish beef products, worth €518m.
As well as the requirement of Hal Al-slaughter excluding the majority of Irish factories, there is also the requirement for all cattle to be under 30 months at slaughter, thereby excluding many steers and heifers as well as all cow beef.
All this means that Saudi Arabia, despite the securing of extended approval to include minced, processed and bone in beef, will remain a small market for Irish exporters.
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