THE Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, has accepted that Irish beef farmers have been experiencing particular difficulties in recent months. He also undertook at a meeting last night with the Irish Farmers Association to look at measures the EU could introduce to ease the impact of a 10 per cent drop in prices in recent weeks.
Proposals to help beef producers were put to the commissioner by a delegation led by the IFA president, Mr John Donnelly. The price, crisis was blamed on a combination, of continuing effects in global markets of the BSE crisis, changes in EU export refunds to Ireland and currency difficulties due to a greenpound revaluation.
A series of measures designed to restore confidence in the Irish beef sector were put to the commissioner. The IFA demands centred on reversing the 7.5 per cent cut in export refunds implemented by the EU recently, and changes in GATT trade terms, "which are severely restricting Irish export opportunities".
Speaking afterwards, Mr Donnelly said he wash pleased that Mr Fischler accepted their position and Irish dependence on Third World markets. "He has also agreed to look at the important area of export refunds," he said.
A drop to 80p in the lb for Irish beef had grave implications for the Irish economy as a whole Mr Donnelly said.
"Farmers need the 90p mark just to break even. This crisis is, coming at a vulnerable time as winter fatteners are beginning to come, on to the market. A 10 per cent cut over the past fortnight has come at a critical time for so many farmers."
The IFA delegation pushed the case for EU support for reopening of Third World and Middle Eastern markets to boost live trade, and for greater backing for Irish produce trying to reach large European markets in France and Germany. The delegation was not in favour of an intervention based solution.
Irish beef trying to access the taller markets had been unfairly treated in the wake of the BSE crisis, as its quality could be guaranteed, he said.