Libyan importer cancels €6 million order for Irish cattle

According to Irish farming news website Agriland, a southern-based cattle exporter has cancelled an order for 2,500 bulls due to a delay in getting the buyer’s visa approved.

An Irish cattle exporter in Munster had made a deal with a Libyan customer for a consignment of 2,500 bulls, as well as an additional consignment of 2,500 bulls, pending the customer’s visit to Ireland for pre-selection.

Exporter comments to Agriland: “How can we operate here if the authorities cannot process a visa for a potential buyer of €6 million worth of Irish cattle?”.

“We see government ministers traveling on trade missions around the world, but the same ministers cannot assist Irish cattle exporters in attracting existing customers. It’s a joke,” the exporter said.

“We tried to sort out our clients’ visas for them. After being stonewalled by the Irish authorities, the customer has told us to ‘get lost’ and said they will buy the cattle elsewhere”.

“The visa application was not refused and the applicant was not asked for any further information; there’s just been nothing”.

As the Cork-based exporter told Agriland, this is not the first time this has happened, and he called on Charlie McConalogue, Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to ensure that such multi-million euro cattle export deals are not lost again in the future.