280,000-tonne beef deficit in EU-15

A MEETING of the EU Beef Forecasting Group has been told that there will be deficit of about 280,000 tonnes for this year within the traditional EU-15, with marginally higher production being more than offset by an increase in consumption.

Higher production in Britain, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Poland has been more than offset by lower production in Ireland, Spain, Italy and Germany. Up to the end of July, young bull supplies were higher by 2%, largely due to higher production in France.

Bullock and calf supplies were lower by 3% and 4%, and cow supply was stable, reflecting higher milk prices.