August 21, 2007

Irish pork producers anxious to set themselves apart from the UK

Irish authorities are alarmed that pork from Northern Ireland were refused entry to Hong Kong and a number of Caribbean ports after foot and mouth outbreaks were announced in the UK.

This follows on from similar decisions by Japan and the US .

MEP Jim Allister has expressed alarm that exports of Northern Ireland pigmeat continue to be blocked, despite the province being recognised as a Foot and Mouth disease -free region.

Northern Ireland does not fall under the EU ban in place in the rest of the UK.

Jim Allister has also made representation to the NI Bureau in Brussels, and directly to the European Commission, so as to ensure they are fully aware of the unfair trade restrictions in place.

Allister said the Commission is prepared to act, but not without being requested to do so by the competent Member State authorities, but this request has not been made.

The USDA has also been contacted to resolve the issues.

Meanwhile, the Pork and Bacon Forum is pressing both DARD and Defra to speed up their response time to local processers when it comes to providing the new certificates required to accompany pigmeat exports from Northern Ireland.

The Pork and Bacon Forum also recommended that Defra highlight Northern Ireland's foot and mouth free status on its websites so that customers in Japan are aware.