Producers to get less under Special Beef Premium plan
The precise amount of the reduction in premia payments has yet to be finalised, but it is expected to be within the scale of 10-15% of the 2002 premia when the overshoot of the national premia ceiling is finally assessed. The surge in applications under the scheme during the final weeks of 2002 was pushed by continuing speculation that 2002 will be either the reference year or one of the reference years for the base line in the EU Mid-term Review of the CAP for a transfer of support from headage to area base.
The decision to exempt producers applying for less than €50 head under the scheme from a cut in premia a protection for smaller producers has already been announced. This will have the effect of increasing the scale of cut applying to larger producers, making it more complex to predict the final outcome in advance of final calculations.
Despite an earlier statement by EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler that beef producers would not have the opportunity to set their own base by increasing entitlements in 2002, the speculation has continued that 2002 was an important year to maximise premia entitlements ahead of the proposed change.
There was a firm trade for all types of cattle at Kilkenny Mart yesterday where there was €340 head on offer.
Up to €210 over was paid for the tops of the heavy double punched bullocks and the heavy bullocks with a premia made up to €376 over euro/kg. The heavy heifers made up to €156 over and stores sold for up to €162 over. There was an entry of 320 head at Ennis Mart, where the heavy doubled punched bullocks sold from €100 over to €190 over and the general run of single punched made from €190 over to €300 over with exceptional lots making up to €400 over.
There was an increase in the number of cattle on offer at Bandon. Double punched made up to €130 over and heavy stores with a premia made from €180 over to €315 over.
