Higher prices for smaller supplies of beef last week

SCARCITY pushed up prices for beef in the immediate post-Christmas trade last week, with improvement in the averages of up to 4p/lb showing in the returns from the factories.

The kill for the week was light, and the factories paid more to get out sufficient cattle.

But unlike the start of 2002, the higher prices do not appear to have carried over to the trade this week, as more cattle became available to the processors.