ICSA beef chair Edmund Graham has said the resumption of beef exports to China is welcome but stressed that farmers must see a dividend as a result. “There was much optimism about the initial opening of the Chinese market in 2018 and there will be optimism again now, but it is no use to us if it does not result in a price rise.”

Continuing Mr Graham said, “Beef farmers are enduring a long, hard, and expensive winter and the current price of beef is simply nowhere near good enough to cover our increased cost of production. Beef price needs to go to a base price of a least €6.00/kg in the short term to cover the costs of this winter.”

“There can be no doubt that the reopening of this market should allow for better prices because meat factories will have more options. They will therefore be in a stronger position to negotiate with EU supermarkets, and this opportunity must be used to drive a better price for farmers.”

ENDS