Prices for all categories of beef have fallen in Ireland and across the EU over the past two weeks, with the most dramatic falls for cow beef.

Use our interactive map to check prices across Europe

This is understandable given that so much of this is used in the catering and fast food sectors and while prime beef has also fallen, it still has a route to market through butchers and supermarkets.

Our interactive graphic shows the falls in market prices for R3 steers in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain, young bulls in the rest of Europe, plus R3 heifers and O3 cows over the past two weeks.

Averages are back

EU R3 steers/young bull averages are back 10c/kg as are R3 heifers, while O3 cows are back 17c/kg.

Irish falls for prime beef up to last weekend were below the EU average, but the fall in cow prices was exactly in line with the EU average at 17c/kg.

It is interesting to note that two of the positive increases in price were for R3 heifers in both Spain and Italy, two of the countries that have been worst affected by the coronavirus.

Also in Sweden, where restaurants have remained open, prices for prime beef are marginally better, while there is just a 1c/kg fall in O3 cow price.

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