Galway farmers have hit out at proposals to reduce import tariffs for non-EU produce, saying it could wipe out the dairy industry in the West.

Speaking to the Galway Independent, local IFA chairman Barry Donnelly blasted EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson's plans to open the European market to outside produce, saying that it would have "serious implications" for farmers and Galway residents.

"Almost 10,000 farmers travelled to Dublin last week to protest against Peter Mandelson's proposals, including a contingent from Galway. If these plans go ahead, they will detonate the farming industry in Ireland and especially in the West. A lot of farmers in Galway are working with sucker cows and this is one of the sectors that will be worst hit by the proposals. We are very heavily dependent on this business," he said.

"If tariffs are reduced, the price of beef could go down to 70 cent a pound from the €1.20 that farmers are getting at the moment and milk could go down to 24 cent a litre. We would compare this situation to when the WTO regulations surrounding sugar beet were changed back in 2002. By 2006, the sugar beet industry in Ireland was gone. We fear that the farming industry will go the same way. We put these figures to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and he didn't contradict them," he added.

The Galway IFA Chairman said there would be major implications for consumers also, should Mandelson's proposals go ahead.

"If the tariffs are reduced, there could be food shortages all over Europe. At the moment, Europe is self-sufficient when it comes to food. If we start to import goods from outside, we would be at a huge disadvantage because there would be no guaranteed supply. For example, two months ago Argentina stopped exporting beef and Sainsbury's in England had no meat for days. It will make the market very erratic and anything could happen. We are calling on the Minister for Agriculture and the Taoiseach to take action and back Irish farmers. Peter Mandelson has to be reined in."

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