Farm leaders, local politicians, and the Department of Agriculture expressed their disappointment yesterday after it was revealed that one of the largest food-processing plants in the west of Ireland sources well over half its raw beef from South America.
The Green Isle Food Group Ltd, which employs 230 people at its plant in Portumna, Co Galway, confirmed that recently it had sourced 42 per cent of its beef in Ireland and 58 per cent in Uruguay.
The company claimed that the quality of beef imported was on a par with Irish beef but that the cost was some 15 to 20 per cent less than market rates in Ireland.
A local councillor, Mr Michael Regan, who revealed that Uruguayan beef was being imported to Portumna, said he was angered to see hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of South American beef coming into Galway at a time of such acute crisis in the Irish farming sector.
He said he wanted the Government to ensure that food products would clearly state on their packaging where their raw material came from.
"I wonder how many people purchasing Green Isle products realise that their beef is coming from South America. I think that this is a national disgrace," Mr Regan said.
A spokesman for the Irish Farmers' Association described as alarming the scale of beef imports to the company at a time of real crisis in the Irish beef market.
"At a time when Irish beef is produced to the highest standards with very stringent traceability, it should be noted that beef originating from South America has no such traceability," he said.
Yesterday, Green Isle issued the following statement: "Green Isle's policy of sourcing raw materials for its range of food products is to secure the highest-quality supplies at competitive rates. This policy enables the company to compete effectively with large-scale international producers in the marketplace.
"Green Isle uses £1.01 million of beef per annum in the production of a range of products, 90 per cent of which are exported. Recently we have sourced 42 per cent of this beef in Ireland and 58 per cent from Uruguay.
"The quality of beef imported is on a par with Irish beef. However, the cost is some 15 to 20 per cent less than market rates in Ireland. This is the key factor in the decision to import beef from Uruguay, as we strive for more exports. At all times Green Isle seeks quotes from Irish suppliers and it is Green Isle's preference to source locally if the cost is competitive."
A Department of Agriculture spokesman said there was nothing to stop any company importing beef products from outside the EU.
"However, we would be very disappointed to hear of substantial imports of beef to an Irish-based processing company at a time when indigenous beef is of the highest quality and competitively priced," he said.