Producers continue to resist lower prices

Marts: Producer resistance to lower prices for beef is continuing to win the battle against lower quoted prices at the factories, where the changes in overall returns for last week — albeit lower — were minimal.

Although remaining ahead of 2005, intake at the factories is showing weekly slippage which should favour producers.

The national average paid by the processors for R4L bullocks and heifers dropped by 1 cent/kg with movement in prices at individual factories almost balancing out. AIBP increased the average for R4L bullocks at Cahir and Bandon by 2 cent/kg to pay 108.7p/lb and 108.6p/lb respectively. Ashbourne Meats (Roscrea), Kepak (Clonee) and Jennings (Ballinrobe) dropped 3 cent/kg paying averages of 109.8p/lb, 109.4p/lb and 108.4p/lb respectively. In all, the average was higher — up to 0.7p/lb — at nine factories, while 11 factories cut prices by up to 1.1p/lb.