South American beef hurts prices

GROWING volumes of cheaper South American beef on European markets is one of the factors behind the reduced prices currently being paid to Irish farmers for their cattle, according to Meat Industry Ireland.

Livestock farmers yesterday maintained a protest outside the Kepak meat processing plant at Athleague, Co Roscommon, after accusing it of leading the downward drive on Irish cattle prices.

Some of the 800 farmers who protested at Athleague on Tuesday remained opposite the factory entrance overnight. They say the price cuts are unjustified and will force them out of business. Kepak explained that beef prices had been running at between 12% and 15% higher than last year but had weakened rapidly in recent weeks because of a variety of market related pressures.