Highest GB weekly beef cattle price rise in six years

Prime beef cattle prices in Great Britain rose 7.7p last week, the largest week-on-week gain in six years.

With half of Ireland’s beef going to the UK, it should be good news. However, our beef shipments to the UK are falling. This trend continued in March, when the UK’s imports were down 8% year-on-year, to 23,500 tonnes.

The latest trade figures show imports for the first quarter of 2020 total 61,800 tonnes, a reduction of 11% compared to last year.

However, the value of UK beef imports during March was down only 4%, supported by a 4% rise in unit prices.

March shipments from the UK’s largest supplier, Ireland, fell by 6% on the year to 19,300 tonnes. Imports from the Netherlands fell 45%, to 900 tonnes.

Imports from Poland increased 9%, to 1,500 tonnes.

Lower imports from Ireland may be related to throughput, which was down 4.5% for 2020, up to mid-May. The 666,738 cattle processed in Ireland up to May 16 was 31,000 head behind the corresponding period in 2019.

Up to mid-May, live exports, at 149,978 head, were 23% behind the same period in 2019.

All markets have reduced demand for calves, as the trade for finished animals for beef and veal has deteriorated, due to Covid-19.

Calf exports to the Netherlands have been particularly disrupted, with only 181 shipped there in the week ending May 16, out of total live exports in that week of 5,001 animals, including 2,500 calves shipped to Spain.