The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) is to mount a protest at ABP Clones, as it believes processors continue to “hammer beef farmers with price-cuts”.
The protest will take place tomorrow (Friday, October 5) from 7:00am, at ABP Food Group, Clones, Co. Monaghan.
ICSA beef chairman Edmund Graham explained that the ICSA did not attend the Beef Forum this week due to “the lack of solidarity shown by processors to beef producers”.
Never has this lack of solidarity been more evident than in the last few weeks.
He highlighted how critical the situation is, saying: “Farmers are on their knees. Anger is mounting and factories have refused to engage with us in a meaningful way at the round-table.”
New markets
The move to protest comes after this morning’s announcement that Kuwait has opened its market to imports of Irish beef and sheep-meat.
Commenting on the effects of the new market, Graham said: “Farmers have become increasingly sceptical as to whether the opening of new markets has any real benefit for them whatsoever.
In the past, such announcements have not been followed by any strengthening of beef prices.
The beef chairman remarked that the current beef price is “nowhere near the price it needs to be”.
Continuing, he outlined that processors have been imposing harsh price-cuts for weeks.
“The opportunity to export to Kuwait will no doubt be great news for them and for all others who make money off the backs of farmers.
“It is reprehensible that primary producers continually get forgotten with all the hype,” he concluded.