The Irish Exporters Association has said £12 million worth of Irish beef is sitting on a quayside in Jeddah because import agents have had their licences revoked by the Saudi Arabian government due to the European BSE crisis.
IEA chief executive Mr John Whelan said 60 containers of beef were off-loaded a week ago and import agents are refusing to process re-shipment procedures back to Ireland without compensation.
He said that although Saudi Arabia announced a ban on Irish beef just before Christmas the containers were already in transit, it was hoped the situation could be resolved before the shipment arrived, or at least shortly afterwards.
He has called on the Ministers for Agriculture and Foreign Affairs to intervene on behalf of the Irish processing companies who exported the beef, and said: "The Minister for Agriculture must act to expand the terms of the EU Beef Destruction scheme to exporters who are suffering financially due to market closures."
But he added that even with countries where the market for Irish beef has remained open, exporters face losses through distress prices, where importers are demanding up to 50 per cent off the going rate.
Mr Whelan said the association has been in close contact with the Department over recent months and the Minister, Mr Walsh has put their position to the European Commission. Speaking to ireland.com, Mr Whelan said the situation was put to the EC before Christmas but they have received no word on it yet.
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said an intensive effort to re-open markets would be made in the coming weeks. He said that in combination with the testing and purchase for destruction scheme, re-opening markets was a major priority.
He said that while the Minister appreciated the situation of meat producers and exporters, the schemes in place were defined by the EU and had to be carried out in conjunction with other member countries, but added: "We are doing everything we can", to get the markets re-opened and to reassure the public of the quality and safety of Irish beef.