Irish beef farmers need ‘significant’ price increase ‘without delay’
Factories must increase their prices to close the gap between prime Irish beef prices and the prime export benchmark price, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has urged.
IFA president Tim Cullinan said that the Irish price is now over 40c/kg behind the Bord Bia prime export benchmark price – the largest in 2023 – and prices in the UK alone are running almost €1/kg above here.
“This is unacceptable profiteering by our processors and it must stop immediately. We need to see a significant price increase without delay,” according to Mr Cullinan.
He said it is “not acceptable that some factories persist in offering lower quotes” when base prices of €4.65 and €4.70/kg are available for steers and heifers, with higher prices for specialist and larger lots.
He said factories “took advantage of the extreme weather conditions, which forced farmers’ hands in selling cattle in recent weeks, by holding back on price increases”.
Kathleen O’Sullivan | Irish Examiner
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