While beef prices remain strong and demand is excellent, particularly for steak meat and manufacturing beef used in burgers and mince, the drop in the value of hides is a drag on cattle price. Problems with CO2 supplies, while not as critical as in the pig meat and poultry industries, is still an issue in the beef sector.

It is used in the manufacture of retail packs now favoured by all supermarkets and alternatives are more expensive and don’t provide as long a shelf life. Also, in burger manufacture, CO2 is used for temperature control when the burgers are being manufactured.

Timing is unfortunate, as demand is particularly high at present with the exceptional weather and World Cup driving BBQ demand.

Factories approved for China have started laying down stocks for shipping later in the summer or autumn and even the USA market is showing growth, with imports from Ireland 23% ahead of last year, according to USDA data, on 1,153t.

Typical prices for Irish beef cuts in the UK are: striploins €14.65 to €14.75, bone in ribs €8.50, 90 vl (lean mince) €4.05 to €4.10 and 80vl (burgers) €3.70.

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