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Minister Creed said his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Esref Fakibaba and the director general of the Turkish Meat and Milk Board (ESK) informed him that private sector buyers would be permitted to import cattle for fattening from the end of May.
All sales must currently go through tenders administered by the state-controlled ESK.
There are significant opportunities to grow this trade further
“Being able to sell fattening cattle direct to private buyers will open up valuable new opportunities for trade,” Minister Creed said. "I am confident that there are significant opportunities to grow this trade further," he added, noting that Turkey is now Ireland's third largest market for live exports.
Agriculture Ministers Michael Creed of Ireland (left) and Ahmet Esref Fakibaba (right) in Izmir, Turkey.\ StudyoZEKI
The 30,000 cattle exported to Turkey last year accounted for 16% of Ireland's total live exports, but only 6% of the Mediterranean country's import requirement, according to Department figures.
Minister Creed was speaking after a meeting with Minister Fakibaba this Thursday at the AgroExpo exhibition in Izmir, where he met other ministers from agri-food importing countries in the region in the evening.
#Izmir Min @creedcnw met with Qatari Minister HE Mohammad Bin Abdullah Bin Mitaab Al-Rumaihi & Mr Ethem Kalin, Director General of the Turkish Meat and Milk Board.@merrionstreet @dfatirl @EtveSutKurumu @HukoomiQatar pic.twitter.com/cZA4cgmQW4
— Dept Agriculture IRL (@agriculture_ie) February 1, 2018
Contact group
The two ministers also agreed to set up an official contact group involving senior officials from their departments.
"This group will facilitate discussions on the detailed technical and certification requirements for exports to Turkey, and promote better understanding of our Irish sustainable production systems and high animal health and welfare standards,” Minister Creed said.
Livestock being exported to Turkey from Waterford Port last week. \ Philip Doyle
Exporters will hope that the discussions will result in some easing of the current requirements of Turkish buyers on three areas: age, weight limits and the 20-day quarantine period.
Any relaxation of the age and weight limit would increase the number of animals available for export to Turkey.
A reduction in the minimum quarantine period would reduce the cost of export.
In pictures: heifers loaded for Turkey
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