Speaking at Tuesday night’s Teagasc winter finishing event Cillín Hill mart, Kilkenny Paul Nolan group development manager with Dawn Meats said Irish beef markets have performed quite well in what he described as a challenging trading environment.

“If we look at continental EU markets, poor weather has put more pressure on summer sales, Brexit has added complications to normal trade with the UK while the market has also had to contend with over 30,000 extra cattle to date. When you take these into account, the Irish price exceeding the EU average by 7% to 8% is positive,” Nolan said.

Nolan said that this is performance to date and the real challenge begins now.

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“There is no doubt the market will be challenging – there are sluggish sales volumes going into the EU, sterling fluctuations and a move by British retailers to buy British product and 100,000 extra cattle in the system in 2017 will possibly add more pressure.

“We shouldn’t be concerned foremost about the extra numbers, it is the type of extra stock that is more of a worry. The Government has made good progress but we need more done to get new markets opened and restrictions lifted in those that have been opened. We also need to start doing more research into the nuts and bolts of Brexit and make sure that Ireland is in the mix of negotiations to ensure the best possible outcome for this trade avenue”.

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