Egypt has announced that its ban on Irish beef imports will remain in force until at least October, reports said.
The news will come as a major blow to the Irish beef industry, which has celebrated the re-opening of several major international markets in recent weeks, according to a report published by online.ie.
The Egyptian government's ban covers all beef from the European Union, and the decision to maintain it comes despite a diplomatic visit from Egyptian officials to view how Irish farmers have been dealing with the foot-and-mouth threat, it added.
For its part, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has called on the their country's agriculture minister to launch a major public relations campaign to win back markets that Ireland has lost, said the report – Albawaba.com
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