Further meat plant demos could be on the way

A DECISION on whether further protests outside the meat plants will take place next week is likely to be made by the IFA in the run-up to this weekend after a study of price trends at the factories.

Connacht IFA Regional Chairman, Tom Turley, said that while a small step had been taken in the right direction by the factories this week with increases of around 5c per kg, this in no way came ‘remotely close’ to bridging the price gap with the UK.

“At our emergency Council meeting last weekend, there was unanimous support for further protests to take place. We have been given a clear mandate in that regard – the ball is now firmly in the court of the factories,” Tom Turley told the Farming Tribune.

He said that the break-even point for beef farmers – based on independent Teagasc research – was €4/kg but the meat plants had steadfastly refused to budge on the price issue.

“The 30c to 35c price difference that has emerged over the past month to six weeks between Ireland and the UK has not been addressed and until this happens, the IFA protest campaign will remain a live issue,” said Tom Turley.

He added that this price per kg. difference had translated into an Irish farmer getting over €300 less for his animal than his English counterpart.

“We also must keep the pressure on to get the full live export flow of cattle to Northern Ireland by sorting out ‘once and for all’ the labelling issue.

“There is absolutely no reason what a label cannot say: born in the Republic of Ireland and fed and finished in the UK,” said Tom Turley.

According to Joe Healy’s beef price column in this week’s Farming Independent, the early week trends showed an increase of about 5c/kg for steers and heifers.

Last week’s cattle kill of just under 26,000 was well down on previous weeks but the Bank Holiday and the protests have to be factored into that figure as well.

Meanwhile marts around the county report an ongoing ‘very lively’ trade for weanlings with good quality weanling making in excess of €500 with their weight, although the trade was a little dull for the forward stores and heavier cattle.

The marts are blaming the uncertainty over the factory prices as the reason for the slacker trade in heavier cattle across the region.