Suppliers expect the crisis to impact on the domestic meat market with consumers footing the bill for the increase in prices incurred. Supermarkets say they will have no option but to import meat by next week.
Some supermarket chains import pork from Denmark and lamb from New Zealand.
The increased demand for imported meat will reach the paying customer, as the disease causes a ripple effect across the country. Rather than using imported meat which most butchers would be less willing to sell. They say they cannot absorb the kind of increases that are expected. Charan Gill, of Harlequin Leisure, one of the country's biggest curry chains, said there is little point in changing prices on menus if they will have to be amended again in two weeks time. Hopefully a week, maybe two.