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There is upward movement in the beef trade again.
Factory agents report supplies showing signs of tightening this week, following last week’s recovery in throughput. A higher number of steers are trading on a base of €4/kg. There are still small numbers trading on a base of €3.95/kg, but this is reducing fast, with sellers in the driving seat in negotiations.
Likewise, there are a greater number of heifers trading on a base of €4.10/kg, with a smaller percentage trading on a base of €4.05/kg.
At the higher end of the market, there are more sellers securing a base of €4.12/kg to €4.15/kg. There are also a small number of prices reported above this range from frequent sellers with numbers on offer exceeding 20 to 25 heifers.
Cows
Cows are also benefiting from upward movement in steers and heifers, but this is leaving a greater differential in prices paid. P+3 grading cows are selling from €3.05/kg to €3.20/kg, with O grades to €3.35/kg in general and 5c/kg to 10c/kg extra to frequent sellers.
R grades are selling from €3.40/kg to €3.60/kg at the top of the market, with U grades selling to €3.70/kg in cow-specialist plants.
British price recovery
British prices are bucking their seasonal trend, recording slight upward movement in the last week to 10 days. The trade has steadied, with average prices rising 1p/kg to 2p/kg. R4L steers are trading for £3.56/kg to £3.60/kg or the equivalent of €4.41/kg to €4.46/kg. Heifers are trading at a slightly lower range of £3.54/kg to £3.57/kg.
Cows are also slowly rising, ranging in price from £3.50/kg to £3.60/kg (€3.10/kg to €3.23/kg).
Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland trade is also brisk.
The U3- base price is £3.44/kg to £3.48/kg (€4.27/kg to €4.32/kg), but sellers are having success in securing prices well above quotes.
Sellers with numbers on hand are securing 4p/kg to 6p/kg higher, with sellers operating at the higher end of the market achieving a return of £3.55/kg to £3.60/kg.
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