Beef sector confidence at low ebb, farmer groups tell industry forum

Meat factory prices of €4 per kg for grass beef and €4.50 for winter beef and more live exports are needed to restore profitability on livestock farms, said IFA president Joe Healy.

Mr Healy was speaking at the Beef Forum, chaired in Dublin by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, at which issues within the industry were discussed by the main farmer unions, the meat factories and other key stakeholders. The IFA leader rejected the suggestion that farmers can attain profitability by simply producing more animals for slaughter.

“Growing output alone, without improving incomes on livestock farms is an unsustainable strategy for the Irish beef sector, which is the country’s largest farming sector, worth €2.4bn and involving 80,000 farmers. Meat factory prices must rise.