A farm lobby group has said that it very clearly spelt out to the meat plants the “chronic situation” facing beef producers due to the severe price reductions since this time last year.
This is according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association’s (ICMSA) president, Pat McCormack, who said he highlighted in a recent meeting with Meat Industry Ireland (MII) that cow prices are down €185/head on spring 2018.
Speaking following a meeting with MII, the president of ICMSA said that his association had called on the meat plants to ensure prices return to a realistic level immediately.
The reality for beef farmers today is that the price for steers is €100/head lower than in early 2018. For heifers it is €80/head lower, and for cows, a massive €185 per head lower than this time last year.
“Remember that those falls follow the incredibly expensive production year that was 2018.
“To say this is not sustainable is to merely state the obvious,” said McCormack.
“The differential with the UK is currently around €0.30/kg so there is clearly scope for the kind of price improvements that must be forthcoming if any confidence is to be restored among beef farmers.”
McCormack also called on processors to facilitate farmers in relation to the slaughter of cattle coming up to “arbitrary” age limits imposed by meat processors and marketplaces.
He added that these age limits “serve no purpose other than to impose further unnecessary restrictions on farmers”.
“Given the pressures that the factories know farmers are under at present, processors really need to show a level of flexibility on this matter,” he continued.
It is absolutely essential that our Government and the EU immediately set out plans on how they intend to protect the primary beef producers.
“Due to the lack of confidence in the sector, farmers selling calves, weanlings, stores and finished cattle are already taking a severe hit in their income while politicians in the UK and EU play games with their livelihoods.”
Concluding, the ICMSA president stressed: “As a preamble to that announcement, the EU should unconditionally rule out any Mercusor deal for the foreseeable future as that proposal – absurd in ordinary circumstances – would amount to lunacy in the present situation.”