A ban by the EU on the import of a strain of genetically modified (GM) maize for animal feed into Ireland will cost €40 million annually and force up the price it was claimed yesterday.
Deirdre Webb, director of the Irish Grain and Feed Association, said the decision taken by the EU Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health to reject imports of the GM maize variety Herculex has major implications for the supply of maize by-products from the US.
"Two maize by-products, corn gluten and distillers' grains, are vital ingredients in animal feed and account for up to 30 per cent of feed rations for beef cattle and dairy cows," she said.
"As supplies of GM-free maize by-products are not available elsewhere, the Irish feed industry will be forced to source 800,000 tonnes of replacement products at an additional cost of up to €40 million," she went on.
She said the industry was now faced with a massive disruption in global supply of vital feed ingredients and Ireland as a major exporter of beef and dairy products, would be the biggest loser. She said the last minute decision by Ireland to abstain in the crucial EU vote was a complete reversal of the commitment given days earlier that the Irish delegation would be voting in favour of allowing imports of Herculex into the EU.
She said Minister of State for Food Trevor Sargent must realise that GM maize imports were not a feed safety issue.
Mr Sargent said he disagreed that alternative supplies of GM-free maize were not available. He said Irish farmers should look at import substitution opportunities. "I have pointed out that our biggest rivals in the food markets are using the GM-free status of their product as a major selling point and we should be doing the same thing," he said.