Russian market reopens for Irish beef and pork
The agriculture industry’s post-foot-and-mouth return to normal continued today with the reopening of the Russian market for beef and pork from Ireland.
The move, announced in Dublin by Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh, followed similar moves earlier this week affecting sales to Spain and Lebanon.
The Republic was formally declared free of the farm disease last month at the end of a 30-day statutory period following confirmation of the country’s sole foot-and-mouth outbreak, close to the Northern Ireland border in Co Louth.
There have been a number of precautionary moves to guard against the spread of the virus - most recently today, when samples from a sheep in Co Donegal were sent to experts for checking in Pirbright, Surrey.
But all have turned out to be negative and Department of Agriculture spokesmen stressed there was no great concern at the Donegal development.
This week Mr Walsh announced the latest relaxation of a rigorous set of controls imposed at the start of the emergency, permitting livestock markets to open again next month.
The minister said the re-opening of the Russian market was "hugely important" for Ireland and followed a period of intense lobbying.
He added: "This is a major step towards the full re-establishment of our vital international beef export trade.
"The decision by the Russians is a further expression of confidence by a major international customer in the quality and safety of our agriculture and food products, and also in the regulatory systems in place in Ireland."
Mr Walsh said a co-ordinated political and diplomatic effort was continuing to reopen other overseas agriculture markets.
