Protests dominate tough week for beef producers

Beef producers who vented their anger at beef prices through their protest outside all of the factories across the country on Monday and Tuesday are in ‘wait and see’ mode for the outcome.

But one has to be more hopeful than optimistic on a favourable outcome after another surge in the supply of cattle to the factories last week brought the intake to its highest since December 2007.

The increasing anger among farmers selling finished cattle has been palpable in recent weeks as they watched the difference between prices being paid here and in Northern Ireland and UK widen.