Cross-border beef price gap widens

Beef cattle prices in Northern Ireland have surged further ahead of prices south of the border, adding to the anger of farmers who protested at meat plants last week, in support of IFA’s 24-hour beef price action.

IFA President Eddie Downey said farmers were very angry over the €350 per head cattle price gap between Ireland and our main export market in the British mainland.

But the price gap has also widened within the island of Ireland, due to strong increases in base quotes for prime cattle from Northern Ireland processors. Official prices reported for R3 steers in the North last week were at 348.6p/kg, having risen 8.5% over the past six-week period.