Meat industry faces further costs

Meat processors warned yesterday that a Government decision to withdraw subsidies from the rendering industry from March 1 will cause major problems for the livestock sector.

Irish Meat Association chief executive John Smith said farmers selling livestock from next week onwards will bear the brunt of the elimination of the rendering subsidies.

The meat industry is not in a position to absorb these extra costs and it will not be possible to recoup them from the final consumer of the meat.