Northern Ireland Firms Encounter Export Problems

Northern Ireland firms that are exempt from the EU ban on exporting British meat are experiencing problems in shipping meat and dairy products to some countries.

A shipment of pork from County Tyrone has been stopped from entering Japan and a local dairy company has claimed that Germany is refusing to take its produce.

Northern Ireland has been cleared to continue exporting meat and dairy, despite a ban on UK produce due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Grampian Food, a Cookstown based pork processing company, told the Japanese that Northern Ireland had a separate region status and was exempt from the export ban, but unfortunately yesterday morning the situation had not been clarified by the EU enough for the Japanese authorities.

First Minister Ian Paisley will speak with the Japanese ambassador to the UK by telephone later to reassure him that Northern Ireland has not been affected by foot-and-mouth.

The First Minister said that both countries have benefited by this trade and they should not let this destroy a trade that doesn't need to be destroyed.

Difficulties are also being encountered in shipping dairy products to South American markets.

(SB/KMcA)