13 AUGUST 2021

ICSA Beef chair Edmund Graham has urged farmers to resist any price cuts factories try to impose next week. “The signs are there that processors will try to pull beef prices again next week because they have essentially gotten away with it this week. But it’s time for farmers to fight back and to draw a line in the sand. No farmer should accept any less than €4.20 for steers and €4.25 for heifers,” he said.

“We are hearing that factories have been buying up cattle for the early part of next week at the €4.20 mark and will look to cut from then on. However, there is no justification for driving the price downwards; the UK market has been getting stronger, and more and more food services are opening up and getting back on track.”

“Factories too must be aware that that the costs associated with producing beef have gone up. Feed and fuel prices are both rising so there is no room for us to take lower prices for our beef. It’s up to each and every farmer to resist these unwarranted price cuts.”

ENDS