Ireland's beef farmers are seeking to exploit the possible reopening of the Libyan market for beef and live cattle following the easing of diplomatic relations between the United States and Libya.
The country's main farm organisation, the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA), has asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, to seek export refunds from the EU to help them export their animals there.
The newly elected IFA National Livestock Committee chairman, Mr John Bryan, yesterday said Mr Walsh must seize the new opportunity that has developed to restart important live cattle trade with Libya.
He said the first move on live cattle to Libya must be for Mr Walsh to secure agreement from the EU Commission to reinstate export refunds for live cattle exports. Mr Bryan said that at its peak, Ireland exported 144,000 head of live animals to Libya. In 1995, Ireland exported 81,000 head to this market.
"All market outlets, and particularly live cattle markets that provide essential cattle price competition, will be essential in the new decoupled policy set up from 2005," he said.
Meanwhile, later today, An Bord Bia - the Irish Food Board - is expected to announce the best beef export figures since the last BSE crisis in 2000.
With beef consumption now back to pre-2000 levels, Irish exporters have been making serious inroads into mainland European markets, where 145,000 tonnes have been sold - a three per cent increase on last year.
It has also strengthened its position in the British market - Irish beef exports there are at an all-time high of almost 260,000 tonnes.
Exports to non-EU countries are up, with 80,000 tonnes going to Russia and the possibility that the Egyptian market will come on stream this year .
Egypt, at one time our largest non-EU market, took 1,800 tonnes last year, but the conditions now look right for a full resumption of trade.