AUSTRALIAN cattle exporters are undercutting Irish live cattle exports to Egypt. They have exported 40,000 head there since December displacing Irish stock.
Concern over one of Ireland's most important live export markets was raised by Mr Raymond O'Malley, chairman of the IFA's livestock committee. He said Ireland was being robbed of its Egyptian markets because of cuts in EU export refund levels.
These export subsidies are paid exporters for selling product outside the EU, where prices are lower and markets less stable.
Over recent years, Irish exporters have shipped nearly a million cattle live to Egypt and north African countries. However, in the past few months, the EU has cut the export refund levels on both live and beef exports, resulting in a dramatic fall in beef prices.
The EU said it had cut export refund levels on live beef exports because of speculation in export licences. This week, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, will attend a Brussels meeting where he is being urged to get export refund levels restored to September levels.