Julian Hunt
The French government has been warned not to repeat the mistake of its ban on British beef by imposing new constraints on imports of sheepmeat.
It is proposing to ban the importing of sheep carcases containing spinal cords  rules which could come into force next January.
DEFRA secretary Margarett Beckett said the proposals  which are being resisted by the French meat trade  were "not justified by the science" and were impractical. "Moreover they would represent further unilateral steps outside the context of agreed EU policy."
France accounts for 70% of UK exports of sheepmeat. So if the ban was implemented, it would hinder the MLC's ambition to restore exports of sheepmeat and pigmeat to Europe to the same levels as before the foot and mouth crisis by the end of 2003.
MLC chairman Peter Barr is confident that exports will reach 175,000 tonnes this year and will be worth £200m.
This compares with the 265,000 tonnes a year shipped to Europe before foot and mouth.
Beckett's comments came at a dinner in Paris to celebrate the lifting on the French ban on British beef.
She told the international audience: "I very much hope this will provide the boost we need to begin to rebuild exports of British beef." Beckett said the government was "well aware" of the challenges posed by the Date Based Export Scheme, but added: "I hope that in the new climate, opportunities to reopen beef export markets will emerge."
Earlier at the Sial exhibition, Beckett created a storm of controversy when she refused to "do a John Gummer" and be photographed sampling beef on the Meat and Livestock Commission stand.
The MLC had arranged a photocall on the stand where British beef was being cooked and served for the first time since the ban was imposed.
The event marked the official relaunch of British beef in France and created a huge media scrum on the stand.
However, Beckett did eat the Welsh beef served that evening at the dinner  and received a round of warm applause.
The beef was supplied by St Merryn Foods, which said it was now receiving orders and inquiries from across the continent.
>>p54 Sial report
{{NEWS }}
The French government has been warned not to repeat the mistake of its ban on British beef by imposing new constraints on imports of sheepmeat.
It is proposing to ban the importing of sheep carcases containing spinal cords  rules which could come into force next January.
DEFRA secretary Margarett Beckett said the proposals  which are being resisted by the French meat trade  were "not justified by the science" and were impractical. "Moreover they would represent further unilateral steps outside the context of agreed EU policy."
France accounts for 70% of UK exports of sheepmeat. So if the ban was implemented, it would hinder the MLC's ambition to restore exports of sheepmeat and pigmeat to Europe to the same levels as before the foot and mouth crisis by the end of 2003.
MLC chairman Peter Barr is confident that exports will reach 175,000 tonnes this year and will be worth £200m.
This compares with the 265,000 tonnes a year shipped to Europe before foot and mouth.
Beckett's comments came at a dinner in Paris to celebrate the lifting on the French ban on British beef.
She told the international audience: "I very much hope this will provide the boost we need to begin to rebuild exports of British beef." Beckett said the government was "well aware" of the challenges posed by the Date Based Export Scheme, but added: "I hope that in the new climate, opportunities to reopen beef export markets will emerge."
Earlier at the Sial exhibition, Beckett created a storm of controversy when she refused to "do a John Gummer" and be photographed sampling beef on the Meat and Livestock Commission stand.
The MLC had arranged a photocall on the stand where British beef was being cooked and served for the first time since the ban was imposed.
The event marked the official relaunch of British beef in France and created a huge media scrum on the stand.
However, Beckett did eat the Welsh beef served that evening at the dinner  and received a round of warm applause.
The beef was supplied by St Merryn Foods, which said it was now receiving orders and inquiries from across the continent.
>>p54 Sial report
{{NEWS }}
No comments yet