The UK government was given a sharp wake-up call yesterday by NFU Scotland over its lax attitude to re-opening export markets for British beef.
The NFUS concerns relate to the probability that beef from older cattle, currently destroyed through the over-thirty-months scheme, will be allowed back on the market some time next year.
According to NFUS, the government, and particularly the department of the environment, food and rural affairs, have not taken on board the possible consequences of allowing OTMS beef on the market. The union view is that too much emphasis has been given to devising some form of price support in the event of a collapse in beef prices.
The government appears, according to NFUS, to be intent on devising some sort of purchase for destruction scheme similar to that used on mainland Europe three years ago when consumer concerns over BSE led to a collapse in beef prices. Informal discussions have taken place between NFUS and the EU Commission and it appears that there may well be serious legal and budgetary problems should the UK seek to introduce a purchase for destruction scheme.
The OTMS, which has taken over six million cattle off the market since it was first introduced in March 1996, could start to unwind from January next year. However, there is little sign of a parallel move to amend the date-based-export scheme, which has made the exporting of beef virtually impossible. That trade was previously worth around (pounds) 100m to the Scottish beef industry.
John Kinnaird, the president of NFUS, made his concerns clear yesterday. He said: ''No one should be deluded into thinking that when the OTMS is unwound, our export markets are magically going to open up.
''There are significant political and administrative hurdles to clear in Brussels When Commission officials return from their summer break, the UK government and the Scottish Executive must start banging on their doors over exports.''
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