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Europe’s suspension of meat imports – mainly beef and chicken – from Brazil came into force in September. The ban was sweet music to the ears of farm organisations and beef farmers across Europe. They had bitterly opposed the Mercosur trade agreement based on the double standards at play in relation to antibiotics usage and other safety concerns around Brazilian beef production. Joe comments: “Some of us are around the industry long enough to remember 2008, which was the last time that Brazilian beef was effectively suspended from the European market. And it had a relatively significant impact at that time,” says Joe.

“Back then, the ban was because of a lack of traceability standards. Now the focus is on anitibiotics use and reassuring the European market and its consumers that where antibiotics are used, that the correct withdrawal periods are observed and that the animals can be identified. And, the EU has clearly stated that it is not satisfied that those things can be assured.”

 

Tight supplies

Total annual EU consumption of beef is around 6.3 million tonnes. Four hundred thousand tonnes of that is imported, with Brazil’s contribution amounting to roughly 100,000 tonnes. The latter’s volume is not huge, even added to the additional volumes that would have entered through Mercosur. But the suspension comes at a time of already tight European supply. Joe says: “It comes on top of production declining already. And the market, over the last couple of years, has been in relatively tight supply. Hence, why the likes of Brazil had been doing everything it could to ramp up both its exports and focus on Europe.” While cold water has been poured on those ambitions, for now, Joe says he believes the ban will have longer-lasting reputational consequences for Brazil. “Stopping the exports says something fairly significant and important to customers that are either buying or considering buying Brazilian beef; that it’s not meeting the standards that are set out by the EU. So I think that it will have a longer-term impact than the ban itself in places where we have seen more beef being purchased from Brazil.”

 

Where to? 

But the question arises, if not Europe, then where does that Brazilian product end up? The UK, no longer bound by EU rules, has not suspended meat from Brazil so should this be of concern for Irish beef producers and exporters? While the UK remains Ireland’s most important market for agri-food produce, accounting for exports of €8.1 billion in 2025, and Irish beef is our leading agri-food export to the UK to a value €1.7 billion, the reality is that things are changing. Joe explains: “The UK imported nearly the same amount of beef this year as last year. But our [Ireland’s] market share within those imports has fallen from 77 per cent to 64 per cent.” That, he says is a direct result of increased beef imports from Australia and New Zealand, primarily. But Brazil, too, is growing its market share in the UK. Joe continues: “We have a very good footprint and very loyal following among our retail and our quick-service customers but just at that foodservice level, it has dropped.”

In early August, Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, visited the UK in collaboration with Bord Bia for a series of meetings to support and promote the Irish beef sector there. Commenting, the minister said his visit ‘underlined our commitment to the UK market and our commitment to seeking to strengthen this relationship’.

In September, Bord Bia rolled out a UK campaign titled ‘Protein as Nature Intended’, putting the spotlight on the natural nutritional benefits of Quality Assured Irish beef. The campaign highlighted: that it is naturally rich in high-quality protein; Ireland’s grass-based farming system; and its quality and great taste. It ran across the UK, reaching consumers in a range of places and platforms from BBC Good Food to out-of-home advertising including bus stops and station posters, as well as digital, video and social media.

 

Closer to home

While the UK remains a priority export market, closer to home, Bord Bia recently launched a new consumer campaign to promote increased sales of beef in Ireland. It is the first such campaign since 2020 and comes at a time when the latest retail data shows a 4.3 per cent decline in beef sales volumes. The campaign, titled ‘Because You Deserve It’, targets younger Irish shoppers, encouraging them to purchase Irish beef and highlighting its taste, nutritional benefits, and versatility as an everyday meal option. Joe comments: “Bord Bia’s promotion and support for the Irish beef sector has strategically focused on overseas markets as over 85 per cent of Irish beef is exported. The domestic market accounts for up to 15 per cent of Irish beef sales, and all major retailers sell Quality Assured beef. However, we have seen some challenges in the Irish market in recent months, and we recognised an opportunity to increase our focus here to support demand for Irish beef.”

 

Other markets

Moving away from home again, Joe talks about some of the other markets that are performing well for Irish beef exports. The double-digits exports drop to the UK has been compensated, he says, by ‘higher exports to continental European markets’. Italy is one such standout market, with strong retail listings for Irish Angus, Hereford, and grass-fed PGI beef, Joe says. He notes that unlike in the UK, where Irish and British beef are often seen as equivalent, Irish beef in Italy has its own distinct identity and story, and is highly regarded at consumer level.

 

International

Accessing the Chinese market has been stop-start for Irish beef, Joe says, with several trade disruptions over the last few years. Alongside that, he adds, the recovery of Chinese domestic pork production has dampened beef demand and prices, but where that demand exists, China has increasingly turned to South America, Australia, and New Zealand for supply. Restoring full access to China, including offal, is still on the agenda, but the timeline is uncertain. Elsewhere in Asia, markets have been established in Japan, the Philippines, Korea and Hong Kong, but such markets are receptive to more specialist beef items only. For example, we export a lot of beef short ribs to Korea because it works well in their cuisine and their cultural cooking methods, explains Joe. He adds: “Similarly, Japan is the highest priced market by far for the beef tongue. And we’ll send practically all of them to that market. But apart from specialist items going to certain markets, it is a challenge to compete in some of those markets. Our exports, collectively, into international markets have been down this year,” he adds.

Certain European countries are growing an appetite for cuts that wouldn’t have ordinarily been on their menus, says Joe. “The beef cheek is really popular now in France, Belgium, and Switzerland because of its flavour and slow-cooking attributes, particularly going into the winter months.”

 

Outlook

Work done by Bord Bia on the 10-year outlook for European and UK beef production, according to Joe, points to continued gradual decline. But Ireland’s natural advantages such as our grass-based production, relatively low stocking densities, quality assurance schemes, and strong market access give reason for optimism. “It would be a pity if we were to see our own production decline at a time when we have opportunities to fill the gap that is going to arise in many of our key markets.” 

 

Growth of Wagyu in Ireland

Wagyu is growing strongly from a very small base, according to Joe, from around 3,000 animals four or five years ago to 7,500 last year. Wagyu has gained traction in Irish retail, partly because smaller pack sizes, such as single-serve steaks, make the price point more accessible for trial or special occasions.