Factories offer 6 cent extra

BEEF prices have been hardening at factories this week, recovering some recently lost ground, with some processors’ quoted prices improving as much as 6 cent/kg (2p/lb).

The recovery results from a slight tightening up of the supply of cattle to factories, and less uncertainty in Britain about the impact of the ending of the Over Thirty Months scheme two weeks ago.

Factories across the south and east quoted unchanged prices of 285 down to 274 cents/kg (102p to 98p/lb) for R and O grade animals, while improved prices of 288 and back to 280 cents/kg (103p to 100p/lb) were quoted in the midlands, an improvement of 3 cents/kg (1p/lb) for Rs, and as much as 6 cents/kg (2p/lb) more than last week for the poorer graders.