THERE was a general welcome in the trade for yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Agriculture that Egypt is to lift its six month ban on live cattle exports from the Republic. But Fianna Fail described it as a last ditch attempt to gain farmers votes.
Mr Yates said he had received written confirmation that the Egyptian veterinary authorities had agreed to allow imports of cattle under two years from herds which had not been fed any bonemeal. The trade with Egypt is worth £120 million annually.
The Minister's statement said details of the implementation of the decision namely veterinary certification - will be finalised between the two countries' veterinary authorities as a matter of urgency.
The Fianna Fail spokesman on agriculture, Mr Joe Walsh, described the announcement as being "belated, blatantly political and a desperate last attempt to shore up the farming vote for the Rainbow [Coalition]."
He said the Minister's announcement did not address the concerns of the live export industry that adequate shipping arrangements to Egypt would not be ready until August or early September. It had driven up cattle prices at the marts.
However, a spokesman for the Live Shippers Association said Mr Walsh was incorrect when he said ships would not be available for the trade. As soon as the trade reopened, shipping could begin.
He added that cattle prices had jumped at marts yesterday after the announcement, but it was because farmers had decided to hold back cattle for the trade rather than sell.
The IFA president, Mr John Donnelly, welcoming confirmation that the trade will reopen, said Egypt has the capacity to taken between 60,000 and 90,000 head between now and the end of the year.
He said it was an important boost to confidence in the cattle trade and also eased the way for diplomatic moves to reopen the traditional trade with Libya.
"IFA is calling on whatever government is elected to take immediate action to reopen the Libyan market and secure access for Irish beef exports to Iran and the removal of the eight county ban on exports to Russia," he said.
The ICMSA president, Mr Frank Allen, also welcomed the news, as did the Irish Cattle Stockowners Association. However, the timing of the reopening is uncertain, according to the stockowners: "The ICSA would have been far more ready to welcome this election day announcement had Minister Yates given a definite date for the reopening."
The president of ICOS, the umbrella body for the cooperative movement, also welcomed the announcement, but Mr Michael O'Dwyer said the timing of the reopening was critical.