Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed this week expressed disappointment that European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström “seems to be considering an offer” for beef in negotiations with the Mercosur bloc of Latin American countries.

“The one that frightens me most is Mercosur,” Minister Creed said at an Irish Farmers Journal event at the Ploughing.

“We lead a coalition of member states who are against this in principle,” he added.

IFA president Joe Healy, who met Commissioner Malmström recently, said a decision was imminent with the possibility of a beef offer to Mercosur next week. This could involve increasing quotas for South American beef imports into Europe, or reducing tariffs on some high-value cuts, he said.

“It’s crazy to consider a Mercosur offer when we don’t know where we’re going with Brexit,” Healy said.

Dawn Meats group development manager Paul Nolan said that “this is not the time” to consider importing South American beef trading at €2.30/kg as Ireland deals with Brexit uncertainty. “The cumulative assessment says Europe has enough beef,” he added.

‘The one that frightens me most is Mercosur’ – Creed

The threat of an imminent beef offer in trade talks between the EU and South American countries was high on the agenda at the Irish Farmers Journal’s breakfast briefing at the Ploughing.