STORMONT'S agriculture department is "assessing" its resources to tackle potential business demand for export certification in the wake of a no-deal Brexit.
But it is "difficult to gauge" as traders may not make decisions until after Brexit, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said.
It comes after a confidential Belfast City Council report warned that Daera did not believe it would be able to meet the demand for certification.
Daera may have to act on a priority basis and for some it could mean a loss of trade, according to details of the report leaked to The Irish News.
The 'Brexit resilience templates' give the council's summary of the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit in the weeks around the UK's departure from the EU.
On food safety and port health, it said significant implications were considered a reasonable 'worst-case' scenario.
It said all businesses exporting high-risk foods to the EU including the Republic may need export certification, and Daera did not believe it would be able to meet this demand. It was suggested this could lead to work being done on a priority basis, meaning some businesses lose trade.
The report also discussed a potential for increased checks on food imports.
Asked about the report details, Daera said agri-food businesses exporting to the EU need to ensure they plan for a no-deal Brexit.
"The best thing agri-food businesses can do is to prepare for these changes, as not all businesses will be able to meet the new Export Health Certificate requirements," a spokeswoman said.
"Daera is running information sessions in September and October to help agri-food businesses or traders who export or import, to prepare for Brexit. Attendance is encouraged and places are limited, businesses can register here https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/agrifoodinfosessions.
"Daera will also do its utmost to meet its key objectives of keeping agri-food products flowing and has already recruited additional resources and trained existing staff to increase its capacity and capability.
"While we anticipate that current trade will adjust, it is difficult to gauge demand for certification as businesses may not make decisions until post-Brexit.
"We are currently assessing the resources available and how we will prioritise based on the potential scale of the demands."