Speaking at a national livestock committee meeting in Dublin last week, IFA livestock chair Angus Woods said factories have to stop cutting cattle prices and stabilise the market.

He said the IFA has been in contact with the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and the key factory players on the price issue. ‘‘Our message is clear. Stop cutting prices and stop undermining confidence in the market place.”

Woods said Minister Creed needs to urgently act and respond to the seriousness of the situation. “The minister needs to call in the meat factories and tell them that they have to stabilise the beef price and stop undermining confidence in the markets. Stability on cattle prices is critical at this juncture and the minister needs to ensure that the factories act in a responsible manner.”

Members of the national livestock committee and IFA county chairs, along with beef farmers, are meeting with factory management throughout the country to highlight the damage from the cattle price cuts and the need to stabilise the price and markets, and restore confidence.

Responsible

The IFA livestock leader said the factories need to act in a responsible manner and must stop using the drought issues to undermine prices.

He said the factories can stabilise the prime cattle prices as there is no additional volumes of prime cattle and the market for prime cattle remains strong.