Beef imports to fall in 2006

Marts: The latest prediction from the EU Beef Forecasting Group is that an increase in production in 2006 will reduce beef import requirements for the year by about 50,000 tonnes.

Ireland and Britain is expected to increase output which will be offset by a decline in production on the continent.

Overall production within the EU-15 is predicted to increase by 1% with the import requirement falling from 350,000 tonnes in 2005 to around 300,000 tonnes this year.