Irish cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) beef chair Edmund Graham has hit out at beef processors amid rumblings of further price cuts, despite high farmer costs.

Any additional decrease in beef quotes will push finishers further into the red, as current input costs point towards breakeven prices around the €6/kg mark, Graham warned.

“Prices need to go up, not down. The goal should be to get prices to at least the Teagasc cost of production figure of €6/kg, not drive prices down to even more unsustainable levels,” he said.

“After feeding intensively for the last three to four months, farmers needed to see prices rising.

Assurances

“However, despite assurances at the back end of last year that we would be adequately rewarded when we go to sell, we have actually seen the opposite happen and prices now are just about back at December 2022 levels.”

The beef chair called on factories to give reasons for any downward movement on price, claiming that any excuses heard so far have been lacking detail for farmers.

“Processors need give their suppliers some real clarity around what is going on with beef prices. We are all tired of the conveyor belt of vague excuses they roll out as they slash prices - all of which have a very clear impact on farmers’ livelihoods and their very ability to stay going.”

Differential

Graham also questioned how a “significant differential” could open up between the prices paid for beef in Ireland and the UK.

“In the past three months, UK steer price has increased steadily by 35c/kg, whereas our price has stagnated.”

He added that this week’s agri-food sector trade mission to China must show real results in delivering markets and prices for farmers.