Ireland's live trade in cattle, which dropped by 75 per cent last year because of foot-and-mouth and BSE, looks set to recover on foot of increased demand from British farmers who have started replacing their stock.
Already shipments of quality breeding stock have been exported to Scotland from here and farmers in England are looking to the Irish Republic to source animals to replace those destroyed in the foot-and-mouth crisis this time last year.
For the year as a whole, 101,000 Irish live cattle were exported compared to 401,000 in 2000, a decline of 75 per cent, according to Bord Bia's Market Monitor weekly news bulletin.
Northern Ireland was the main market for live cattle in 2001 with almost 50,000 exported, and the prospects for live exports to the North in 2002 remain positive, given the demand for beef in Britain, the report said.
"In terms of demand from Britain, the main market is likely to be for quality breeding stock as the restocking of farms has now recommenced following foot-and-mouth. Scotland is likely to remain the main outlet for these animals with some shipments already taking place."
Exports of live cattle to EU markets were adversely affected by lower demand for beef. Exports for the year reached 40,000 compared to 311,000 in 2000, it said.
While the import demand on the continent has improved significantly, especially for weanlings in Spain and store cattle in Italy, Irish live cattle exports have remained subdued to date this year with exports for January reaching just over 2,500. This compares to 27,000 in January 2000.
Live exports to international markets were also very weak during the year and this was mainly due to the closure of the Lebanese market in March because of foot-and-mouth, but also due to the fact that other countries, particularly Spain and to a lesser extent France and Germany, provided strong competition on the market for much of the year.
"For the year as a whole live exports to the Lebanon amounted to less than 12,000 head compared to more than 63,000 cattle in 2000. Exports to the Lebanon are expected to recover slowly but will depend to a large extent on the level of competition from other suppliers," it said.
Looking at the prospect for Irish live cattle exports over the remainder of this year, the report said it was hoped that as the demand for finished cattle on the continent improved, prices paid for calves and store cattle in other competing countries would rise accordingly and this should help ease pressure on the Irish exporters.