Farmers critical of 28% rise in price of BSE kits
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) called on the Government to intervene to reverse Enfer Scientific’s decision to increase the price of its test kits, which are used to monitor the absence of so-called mad cow disease in cattle. ICSA beef committee chairman Robin Smith said the increase was “ridiculous” and “beyond all justification”.
“All cows over 30 months must be tested for BSE. Enfer is one of only three facilities in the country that cater for this, leaving farmers in a vulnerable position at a time when cattle prices are dismally low,” he said.
“Every member of the ICSA is entirely opposed to this groundless increase,” he added, “and we all recognise it for the commercial greed and exploitation that it is. We will be most active and vocal in our opposition to this.” Mr Smith said the increase was five times the rate of inflation and called on Agriculture minister Mary Coughlan to examine the hike.
Enfer Scientific finance director Martin Crowley failed to return calls from the Irish Examiner over the past week. The company is headquartered in Cashel but has a manufacturing facility in Newbridge, Co Kildare. Its BSE test delivers results in less than four hours and is in widespread use in overseas markets in Europe and Japan. It also signed a deal with American pharmaceutical giant Abbott in 2001 to market the test in the US.
