Tight supply forces reluctant processors to pay more

Officially, the beef prices at factories are unchanged this week, with quotes to farmers selling finished cattle similar to recent weeks.

Unofficially, the farmers have gained slightly, as supplies remain very tight, and processors have, very reluctantly, conceded a slight increase on price, in order to get cattle.

But their determination to keep a brake on upward movement in prices remains firmly in place, despite the best efforts of farmers to put pressure on them.