Northern Ireland could be transformed into a post-Brexit banger-producing powerhouse even if Brussels and Britain fight a sausage trade war, experts predict.

The province’s pork producers are perfectly placed to profit from a banger boom sparked by the UK-EU sausage crisis, politicians, officials and industry insiders told The Telegraph.

The Northern Ireland Protocol means it is part of the EU’s customs area and observes many Single Market rules while remaining part of the UK.

Despite the tensions around the implementation of the Brexit treaty, that should bring unique business opportunities because Northern Ireland can serve both markets.

“It’s possible we’re entering the Belle Époque of Northern Irish sausages,” an EU official told The Telegraph, as he suggested a golden age of exports and foreign investment.

A possible July 1 ban on UK sausages in Northern Ireland is already boosting local suppliers.

A reciprocal British ban on EU bangers expected on Oct 1 would transform Northern Ireland into the world’s only banger hub able to serve both the UK and EU.

Simon Hoare, the Tory MP who chairs the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said the country could become a “meat processing powerhouse”.

“We have nothing against turning Cookstown into the Singapore of sausages,” one EU diplomat said, referring to the Northern Irish town famed for its sausages and the tiny but prosperous island city-state.

British sausages, except frozen ones, have been outlawed in the EU since Brexit took effect on Jan 1.

Before the end of the Brexit transition period, about £17m of sausage meat was sold to the EU by the UK every year, with 45pc of that sold to Ireland. Northern Irish producers have begun to meet that demand.

Northern Irish food and animals worth £1bn were exported to Ireland in 2018 but that figure is said to have increased significantly over the past six months.

From Oct 1, the UK will require all EU animal products exported to Britain to have export health certificates, which mirror those drawn up by Brussels.

This means that EU sausages will not be allowed into the UK, in the same way that British bangers cannot be sent to the Continent, creating another opportunity for Northern Irish sausage exports.

Unless the UK and EU can agree a veterinary agreement, Northern Irish shops will be banned from selling British bangers from July 1, which is when a Protocol grace period expires.

Aodhán Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said local families would have less choice if the grace period expired without a veterinary agreement.

“But for Northern Irish sausage and chilled meat producers this could be a boon,” he said. “GB retailers already buy £2.8bn of NI agri-food for families across the UK and because the Protocol gives them access to both the EU and GB, their market could well grow significantly.”

A spokeswoman for the Karro Food Group said: “Cookstown branded sausages are in wide distribution across Northern Irish retailers. If there are any changes to Northern Irish protocol we will endeavour to meet new demand from our site in Cookstown.”

Dohertys, a sausage manufacturer, has said it is in talks to supply supermarket chain Iceland.

Tesco, the UK's biggest grocery retailer, as well as Marks & Spencer, already source their fresh sausages from local producers in their Northern Irish stores.

The majority of Irish sausage exports are to the UK, while many British UK sausage exports used to go to Ireland.

This could make Northern Ireland a magnet for investment from canny British and Irish producers looking for a foothold in the two lucrative markets, as the sausage stand-off bites.

It could also bring new opportunities in mince, as well as processing and preparing chilled meats.

“Watch this space. I'm quite certain that one or two businesses are looking at developing their capacity to produce that product in Northern Ireland,” said Peter Hardwick from the British Meat Processors’ Association.

The Government has warned it could unilaterally extend the grace period to preserve GB sausage supplies, which the EU says would break international law.

Brussels has threatened to retaliate with measures including tariffs if the UK unilaterally overrides the Protocol for a third time, which could lead to a sausage trade war.

Brussels said on Thursday it was open to discussing a UK request for an extension to the grace period for chilled meat preparations until September.

However, divisions over the veterinary deal remain stark and the sausage ban remains a possibility.

The UK has rejected EU demands it align with Brussels regulations to reduce border checks on British goods exported to Northern Ireland.

Lord Frost has told the EU the Protocol is unsustainable in its current form and that Brussels is undermining consent for the treaty with its “purist” approach to implementing the agreement.