Control of beef trade returns to producers as prices recover

Control of the beef trade is firmly back in the hands of the producers again with prices on offer making a full recovery from the recent nose-dive, which angered suppliers and resulted in a big slump in intake at the plants.

The necessity for the factories to get supplies flowing more freely again — bullocks dropped 6,000 head in one week — has produced further improvement in the prices on offer to suppliers this week with gains of 3-6 cents/kg (1p-2p/lb) added to the improvements conceded last week.

There is no reason for any supplier to sell R grade animals this week for less than 292 cents/kg (104p/lb) plus and the amount of the plus over that base is dependent on location of the processors and the necessity to get the cattle. Generally the prices are lower in the south of the country, improving as they move up country and peaking in the north-west (as usual) with reports of a bit of 108p/lb being secured at Donegal Meats for top quality cattle this week. That is 3 cents/kg (1p/lb) above the general going rate for R’s at the factory. Drawing a line the length of the country it is gradually downwards for the prices.