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The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) has said that falling beef prices, in tandem with upward meal prices, is putting undue pressure on farm incomes.
Beef prices for R3 steers have “slumped” to £3.45/kg, according to the UFU’s beef and lamb chair Sam Chesney.
Farmers simply cannot afford to live
“Winter finishing rations have increased by 24%, from around £185 to £230 per tonne, and straw is costing up to £180 a tonne, a 30% increase,” Chesney said.
“Farmers simply cannot afford to live with beef prices below the cost of production.”
Chesney added that farmers should not have to carry the burden of additional costs and encouraged the introduction of a beef price that would provide future sustainability for beef farmers and processors.
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