One of the candidates at the ongoing Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) presidential election has claimed that Meat Industry Ireland (MII), the group that represents meat processors, is “talking out” cattle prices in the run up to Christmas.
Tim Cullinan, the IFA’s current national treasurer, accused the processor body of using “delaying tactics” at the Beef Market Taskforce.
“MII is blatantly and brazenly using the beef taskforce to talk out cattle prices in the lead into the Christmas trade, and to walk over farmers in the process,” Cullinan argued.
MII is being allowed off the hook, with its [senior director] Cormac Healy using the beef taskforce to talk out cattle prices until after Christmas, while beef farmers feel the severity of further losses at the hands of the factories in the process.
“This comes on top of the losses of €20 million which beef farmers have already had to endure at the hands of the factories through November,” he added.
Cullinan highlighted: “There is a price differential of €170/head between the UK and Irish cattle prices, which has existed for many weeks now.”
He claimed that beef farmers are “being forced to pay the price for every day that the beef taskforce facilitates the delaying tactics of MII on cattle price”.
“The fact that not one factory was present at Tuesday’s beef forum is proof that the factories are simply using Ibec/MII,” Cullinan commented, adding that, should he become president, he would “insist on dealing directly with the factories”.