Producers’ relief as prices steady

Marts: For the first week in nearly three months, beef prices have steadied at the factories, signalling the expected end to one of the worst declines in prices for producers.

Yesterday the processors quoted unchanged prices for U/R grade animals, while the price for O grade eased back by 3c/kg (1p/lb) with a widening of the margin between R/O grades to 14c/kg (5p/lb).

While the apparent bottoming out of the price fall will be welcomed by suppliers to the factories, the return at present prices will result in serious losses for producers, who face a very difficult challenge in trying to bring about a recovery in the price.