Less grass means more cattle on market

BEEF prices at the factories came under pressure this week as supplies to the processors commenced to increase sharply from the low base of recent weeks.

Some of the factories had reduced their quotes by as much as 2p/lb by mid-week, as supply continued to strengthen, heralding the end of the upward trend throughout this year.

Although an easing in price is seasonal for July, the prices are this year coming back from their highest level in almost a decade and a half, following the record run since the beginning of the year pushed by weak supplies of cattle to meet a reasonably strong demand from markets.