With the Highland show in full swing, the mood of the Scottish beef industry, like the weather, is improving after a terrible spring. Scotland, like the whole UK suffered a 50p/kg (70c) fall in prices plus in many cases a great difficulty in getting cattle killed with long waiting lists at many factories.
The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) are however upbeat about the prospect for the beef industry. Their complaint is that they cannot get enough cattle of the correct size to supply the market opportunities that they have. This has been an ongoing theme in the Scottish industry whose average carcase weight is now around 380kgs, the recognised top end of ideal weight specification.
The National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) has reacted by reminding factories of the difficulties farmers have experienced this spring with falling beef prices. They have also highlighted that the delay caused by factory backlogs has in some cases contributed to cattle being overweight when they eventually get into the system.
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However the exchange has been of a generally positive nature. NFUS are calling on the “abattoir sector to work closer with producers in efforts to ensure Scotland’s beef cattle meet the required market specification.” They are also taking a proactive approach by holding meetings around Scotland in the autumn to take this challenge head on. It has invited representatives of SAMW to come along to the meetings. The purpose is to allow beef producers to get round the table with abattoirs and processors to discuss the problems as well as the potential solutions to growing the market for Scotch beef.
Last week Scottish R3 steers were 55c/kg higher than Irish prices, something Irish farmers can only dream of. The polite nature of the exchange between factories and farmer representatives is also a contrast to what often happens in Ireland. On the other hand they envy our CAP deal and ability to engage independently with Brussels. They had their chance with the independence vote but the other side of that debate would be forsaking access to the Red Tractor branding. Who knows what that would do for Irish beef price if we had access to it.
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With the Highland show in full swing, the mood of the Scottish beef industry, like the weather, is improving after a terrible spring. Scotland, like the whole UK suffered a 50p/kg (70c) fall in prices plus in many cases a great difficulty in getting cattle killed with long waiting lists at many factories.
The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) are however upbeat about the prospect for the beef industry. Their complaint is that they cannot get enough cattle of the correct size to supply the market opportunities that they have. This has been an ongoing theme in the Scottish industry whose average carcase weight is now around 380kgs, the recognised top end of ideal weight specification.
The National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) has reacted by reminding factories of the difficulties farmers have experienced this spring with falling beef prices. They have also highlighted that the delay caused by factory backlogs has in some cases contributed to cattle being overweight when they eventually get into the system.
However the exchange has been of a generally positive nature. NFUS are calling on the “abattoir sector to work closer with producers in efforts to ensure Scotland’s beef cattle meet the required market specification.” They are also taking a proactive approach by holding meetings around Scotland in the autumn to take this challenge head on. It has invited representatives of SAMW to come along to the meetings. The purpose is to allow beef producers to get round the table with abattoirs and processors to discuss the problems as well as the potential solutions to growing the market for Scotch beef.
Last week Scottish R3 steers were 55c/kg higher than Irish prices, something Irish farmers can only dream of. The polite nature of the exchange between factories and farmer representatives is also a contrast to what often happens in Ireland. On the other hand they envy our CAP deal and ability to engage independently with Brussels. They had their chance with the independence vote but the other side of that debate would be forsaking access to the Red Tractor branding. Who knows what that would do for Irish beef price if we had access to it.
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