Top retail buyers to attend conference

Dublin: Some 165 buyers from all of the major European retail chains, whose combined buying power for beef is over e4 billion, will be among the 350 invited guests of Bord Bia at a major conference in Dublin on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh, who will officially open the Second European Meat Forum, said yesterday that producer prices remain at their highest level for four years.

This reflected strong demand in Britain and also across continental Europe, where the consumption of beef is continuing to rise.

He said the market is now stable right across the EU with no intervention beef and further opportunities from enlargement providing the Irish beef industry with internal market access to 78 million new potential customers. Mr Walsh said Ireland exported a record 415,000 tonnes of beef to EU markets in 2003, a 17% increase on a previous record level set in 2002.

Overall, Ireland exported 500,000 tonnes in 2003 valued at €1.3 billion out of total production of 560,000 tonnes.

This is the highest level of total exports since 1999, and 12% higher than 2002.

Speakers at next week’s Meat Forum will address key issues facing the European meat industry including new strategies being adopted by the major retail chains, changing consumer trends and behaviour and new developments in packaging and technology.

Aidan Cotter, operations director, Bord Bia, said that with European beef consumption now rising again after several years of decline, Ireland, the northern hemisphere’s largest net beef exporter, is set to benefit.