Individual meat processors have been called on to “discontinue the stall on beef price rises” which have been described as “demonstrably due”.

The chairperson of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association’s (ICMSA’s) livestock committee, Des Morrison, has said: “Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has to understand that the Beef Market Taskforce is effectively a ’last chance’ for factories to show that they are sincere about dealing with the lack of trust and systematic defects that have undermined the whole sector.

It is a simple fact that the gap between Irish and UK/EU prices has widened since last August and we have effectively seen nothing but a standstill in terms of beef prices since then.

“Either the beef processors negotiate and participate in good faith or they take the consequences when farmer belief in the whole process – already very fragile – breaks down and other voices start to sway the farmer side of the argument.”

Continuing, Morrison added: “At a time when logic would dictate that the factories and farmers should be coming together to defend the sector from external threats, it’s really shocking to see the lack of any strategic sense on the part of the factories.”

He explained: “They’re still operating on the basis of how they can hold back a few cents per kilo from a farmer today instead of realising that the farmers – their own supply base – need to be protected and adequately rewarded for producing a top-quality product.”

Concluding, Morrison stressed: “The Bord Bia Beef Price Tracker clearly shows where the prices should be and our meat processors must respond immediately and positively.”