Beef producers secure steady prices

Marts: Producers continued to secure rock-steady prices for beef at the factories last week, despite the rise of nearly 4,000 head in throughput.

Factory pay-sheet returns show the average price paid for R3 bullocks and heifers held virtually unchanged from the previous week, against pressure from processors to get prices back by up to 3 cent/kg (1p/lb).

Supplies cost slightly more at some factories, but a cross check on a range of factories shows variations in average prices from the previous week, were very slight. While the supply of bullocks increased by a further 1,700, the average paid for R3 bullocks remained rock steady.