Cattle mart report: Processors plan to hold trade at 365 cents/kg

As the beef trade moves into the pre-Christmas season, prices paid at the factories have commenced to recover, as competition for supplies has come to the aid of beef farmers hit by price cuts.

Within three weeks, most of the cattle required for the Christmas trade will be inside the factory gates, and processors are opting for an earlier rather than later build-up to meet their requirements, as insurance against a late surge of demand driving prices upwards.

With this objective in mind, they have conceded a little extra in the prices for this week, offering a base of 365 cents/kg in general for steers, and in some circumstances, they are willing to overlook some of the price penalties that might otherwise be applied.