Written answers
Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Live Exports
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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515. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cattle and calves exported by country in the 2010 to 2018 period; the figures for 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12428/19]
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Live exports are a critical part of the infrastructure of our livestock industry. They play a significant role in stimulating price competition and provide an alternative market outlet for farmers. My Department facilitates this trade, recognising its critical importance to the agri-sector, while ensuring that live animal exports meet the highest welfare standards. I continue to prioritise efforts to gain access to new third country markets and, equally importantly, to deepen existing markets for live exports.
My decision in 2017 to reduce the veterinary inspection fee payable on live exports of calves less than three months of age from €4.80 to €1.20 has brought greater equity to the inspection fee regime. Since then there has been continued growth in the export of calves, rising from 102,000 in 2017 to 159,000 in 2018. It should be noted that the reduction of live exports in Northern Ireland over the last decade is linked to the demands by the UK multiples under the beef labelling rules.
In 2018 live exports of cattle increased by over 30% to 246,000 head compared to 2017. The following are tables with figures for exports of cattle and calves from 2010 to 2019.
Live exports of cattle (including calves) 2010 to 2019
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 33,600 | 26,200 | 8,300 | 19,500 | 21,700 |
| France | 3,100 | 1,000 | 200 | 7,000 | 5,300 |
| GB | 8,600 | 7,600 | 11,500 | 11,300 | 18,100 |
| Greece | 1,300 | 1,700 | 2,500 | 1,600 | 1,300 |
| Hungary | 400 | 1,000 | 1,100 | 100 | 100 |
| Italy | 70,800 | 53,700 | 37,900 | 26,000 | 30,000 |
| Libya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14,500 | 17,700 |
| Morocco | 2,700 | 2,100 | 2,300 | 1,400 | 800 |
| Netherlands | 61,900 | 34,500 | 15,000 | 31,500 | 38,200 |
| Northern Ireland | 95,100 | 59,400 | 62,600 | 54,600 | 54,400 |
| Poland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Romania | 0 | 100 | 200 | 400 | 200 |
| Slovakia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Spain | 60,700 | 25,100 | 15,400 | 36,800 | 44,300 |
| Tunisia | 0 | 200 | 1,300 | 2,900 | 3,700 |
| Turkey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total * | 339,000 | 214,500 | 160,400 | 208,900 | 236,800 |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 600 | 400 | 5,500 | 13,500 | 900 |
| France | 8,600 | 5,900 | 2,800 | 9,100 | 0 |
| GB | 9,100 | 6,600 | 5,900 | 5,500 | 400 |
| Greece | 700 | 1,500 | 1,000 | 1,600 | 500 |
| Hungary | 100 | 400 | 100 | 200 | 100 |
| Italy | 24,900 | 18,600 | 19,400 | 24,100 | 3,100 |
| Libya | 400 | 2,200 | 1,800 | 5,500 | 0 |
| Morocco | 300 | 200 | 0 | 700 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 43,700 | 27,000 | 41,800 | 48,900 | 9,900 |
| Northern Ireland | 55,300 | 24,500 | 26,100 | 24,600 | 4,400 |
| Poland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,700 | 1,400 |
| Romania | 300 | 600 | 1,400 | 800 | 0 |
| Slovakia | 0 | 500 | 300 | 1,800 | 0 |
| Spain | 29,600 | 37,000 | 50,500 | 92,500 | 11,100 |
| Tunisia | 3,900 | 0 | 0 | 200 | 200 |
| Turkey | 0 | 19,300 | 30,600 | 12,900 | 0 |
| Total * | 178,000 | 145,200 | 188,300 | 246,200 | 32,000 |
Live exports of calves 2010 to 2019
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 33,300 | 26,200 | 8,300 | 19,200 | 20,100 |
| France | 3,000 | 900 | 100 | 6,700 | 5,000 |
| Netherlands | 61,700 | 34,400 | 14,900 | 31,400 | 34,200 |
| Northern Ireland | 12,000 | 1,400 | 800 | 700 | 2,000 |
| Italy | 11,700 | 5,200 | 1,200 | 1,400 | 2,000 |
| Spain | 36,300 | 20,000 | 13,000 | 31,200 | 38,200 |
| Total * | 159,000 | 88,100 | 38,300 | 90,700 | 101,600 |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 0 | 0 | 4,200 | 13,300 | 900 |
| France | 8,300 | 5,600 | 2,400 | 8,500 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 43,400 | 26,600 | 41,400 | 48,600 | 8,700 |
| Northern Ireland | 2,000 | 1,100 | 1,200 | 2,100 | 100 |
| Italy | 4,100 | 6,800 | 8,400 | 12,700 | 1,300 |
| Spain | 27,400 | 32,600 | 44,000 | 73,000 | 7,900 |
| Total * | 85,500 | 72,700 | 101,600 | 158,800 | 19,900 |
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