Walsh tries to re-open Egypt beef trade

The Minister for Agriculture Mr Walsh said today his departmentwas campaigning strongly to re-open the beef export market with Egypt.

However, Mr Walsh conceded that despite a media campaign in Egypt toreassure the market there about the quality of Irish meat there wasstill a strong perception that European beef was inferior.

Yesterday Egyptian authorities renewed their ban on European beeffor another four months. Irish trade with Egypt now looks unlikely toresume before the Autumn.

Mr Walsh said his department was continuing to lobby Egyptianauthorities.

The Egyptian ambassador to Ireland Mr Ashraf Rashed sounded a moreupbeat note about the possibility of re-opening of trade.

Speaking on RTÉ radio Mr Rashed said: "All possibilities remain open. We are continuing our contacts with the Irish Authorities."

He said the situation in Ireland could be reviewed on its own merits.

He added there was still an apprehension towards European beef inEgypt. However he praised Ireland for being one of the firstcountries to recognise the problem and attempt to deal with iteffectively.

Egypt is Ireland’s biggest beef export market - worth over £300m tothe industry. Last year Egypt imported 150,000 tonnes of Irish beef,the equivalent of 450,000 cattle.