Minister Heydon Must be Stronger in Opposing Mercosur Deal for Irish Beef Farmers
IFA Livestock Chair Declan Hanrahan said Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and his government colleagues must be firm and unapologetic in their outright opposition to the EU-Mercosur trade deal for the future viability Irish suckler and beef farmers.
Declan Hanrahan was commenting following the claim from the Minister the impact on the Irish beef sector would be €50m and that this was a figure the sector ‘could manage’.
He said Minister Heydon’s recent comments appeared to make light of the impact of Mercosur on Irish beef farmers.
“Minister Heydon and his Government colleagues are the people who are supposed to have our backs in protecting us from this large industry trade off of Irish farmers. They must be strong in their opposition to this trade deal,” Declan Hanrahan said.
The IFA Livestock Chair said this is was an incredibly flippant statement from our Minister for Agriculture at a critical stage of building alliances to have this deal rejected.
“The suckler and beef sector in Ireland is a low-income vulnerable sector with average incomes of just €9,500 and €17,000 respectively last year, it is unbelievable our Minister for Agriculture could be so flippant about a negative economic impact of €50m on us. The Minister seems to be preparing for failure,” Declan Hanrahan said.
Equally concerning according to the IFA Livestock Chair is the Minister’s attempt at refuting the impact on the sector of €130m which has been determined by MII, the people actually in the market place and who will be competing with any additional low value products allowed into the EU market.
Declan Hanrahan said suckler and beef farmers have just turned a corner and are finally getting a price for what we produce, now is not a time for complacency from our Minister.
“These market conditions must be protected and stopping an extra 99,000t of South American beef entering the EU market through the flawed Mercosur deal is vital,” he concluded.
