Sheep exports back on the agenda
By James Garner
SHEEP exports will be back on the agenda of the standing veterinary
committee again next week.
The industry is keeping everything crossed that shipments will be
allowed to resume, even though trading will be constrained by tight
rules.
Similar proposals were rejected at the last SVC meeting, and a UK
government source has said: “It is very finely balanced and could go
either way.”
If the restriction is lifted it would initially be for the same 33
counties which are currently allowed to export beef – those that have
never had a case of F&M.
Farmers First, the lamb export and processing business, is gearing up
to export lambs as soon as the trade resumes.
“The price on the Continent is very high at the moment. We would see a
full order book, which is encouraging,” says the groups marketing
manager Mike Gooding.