Despite Irish shoppers paying high food prices, farmers are not getting the benefit – with the situation worsening over the last 15 years, according to a survey released by independent TD Denis Naughten.
“The survey carried out this week, excluding special offers, shows that the farmer gets €3.76/kg of beef while shoppers are paying on average €11.99/kg of round roast in their supermarket, a mark up of 218%,” the TD said.
Survey
“While the processing and supermarket sector will contest these figures, what they cannot ignore is the fact that when this is compared to the same survey 15 years ago, the share going to the farmer has dropped by a quarter over that period.
Deputy Naughten said that, in 2005, the same survey showed that the farmer was receiving €2.80/kg of beef while shoppers were paying on average €6.59/kg of round roast in their supermarket – a mark up of 135%.
The survey shows that the share going to farmers has gone from 42% in 2005 to just 31% today, a drop of a quarter – which clearly highlights the reason why the suckler beef sector is struggling.
“All farmers want is a fair price for what they produce – but clearly someone is making a huge margin off their backs.”
The TD stated that the new European law – which will ban 16 unfair trading practices covering agricultural and food products traded in the food supply chain – must be introduced as a matter of urgency.
Transparency
“We need to see transparency as to who exactly is profiting from the current system,” he added.
“The fact is our suckler beef industry is the lifeblood of towns and villages the length and breadth of the country and by placing it in jeopardy we risk condemning the Irish countryside to desolation,” deputy Naughten concluded.