News that a Chinese consortium has abandoned its plans to expand the Banagher Chilling meat processing facility has obviously caused some disappointment.

While the decision not to proceed with the development is clearly bad news for farmers – since every additional buyer for livestock drives competition and price – the news cannot be seen as any great surprise.

Local TD Carol Nolan has linked the backers’ decision to step away from the Banagher project to the proposed Mercosur deal, but The Dealer does not agree.

ADVERTISEMENT

This scribe would contend that the sharp drop in the cattle kill – which was back around 212,000 head in 2025 – and the associated spike in fat stock prices, are far more important considerations. There’s no point building additional slaughtering capacity if the cattle aren’t there to kill.