Major groups push prices down

Downward pressure on beef prices is being led by the country’s largest beef processing groups, according to the officially compiled returns from the factories. Average prices have slipped by 1c/kg for R4L bullocks.

Farmer paysheet returns for last week’s kill, which were compiled by the Department of Agriculture, show that 11 of the 13 factories operated by Dawn and AIBP Groups paid less than the national average for R4L bullocks, resulting in the national average of just over 285c/kg being sustained by the smaller processors.

Dawn Group paid an average of 282c/kg (100.7p/lb) and AIBP paid a group average of 284c/kg (101.4p/lb). The remaining 14 factories paid a mean of 287.5c/kg (102.7p/lb)