ICSA Beef chair Edmund Graham has said farmers here will be expecting a better price for their cattle if demand from China increases. “We fought hard to get Irish beef back into the Chinese market and we have an opportunity now to really make that market count, and count for the primary producers of beef, not just the processors. This must lead to an increase in beef price as current price is not sufficient for winter finishing.”

Mr Graham was responding to the announcement that Brazil has voluntarily suspended beef exports to China due to a confirmed case of BSE.

Mr Graham said while the confirmation of BSE in Brazil is deeply regrettable Bord Bia and meat processors must seize this opportunity to embed Ireland as a leading supplier to the Chinese market. “The gap in supply to China due to the Brazilian situation provides with a great opportunity at a time when we have just re-established ourselves on that market.”

Mr Graham also expressed his surprise that Brazil had suspended exports to China but made no mention of exports to the EU. “It’s clear this needs to be examined and I am urging the European Commission to investigate the situation in Brazil and take all necessary precautions.”