UFU hits out over fall in beef prices

Date: 12/6/2006
Source: Farming Life

The Ulster Farmers' Union has called for more stability in market prices in the local beef industry. With quotes for local beef cattle falling in the past two weeks, the UFU says meat processors are failing to send positive signals to producers.

UFU Cattle and Sheep Chairman Harry Sinclair said: "We are very disappointed that prices have fallen suddenly, after several months of stability when prices where beginning to climb towards sustainable levels.UFU Cattle and Sheep Chairman Harry Sinclair said: "We are very disappointed that prices have fallen suddenly, after several months of stability when prices where beginning to climb towards sustainable levels. "We need to break away from this process where processors cut prices at the first opportunity and we have passed this message directly to meat processors when we met NIMEA at the end of last week.

"It's in everyone's interest that producers receive sustainable and stable prices for their stock and that positive market signals are in place for quality cattle. We certainly want no repeat of 2005, when prices turned downwards at this time of year and had a serious financial impact on producers".

The UFU says morale has been boosted in the beef sector by the removal of the beef export ban and by rising prices. Harry Sinclair said farmers needed consistent positive price signals to give them the confidence to keep producing beef in Northern Ireland. Harry Sinclair said: "This is about building a sustainable supply chain with local farmers. They shouldn't be taken for granted and it is a disappointment that just when prices were rising towards sustainable levels, we see prices knocked back as soon as there is a hint of good supplies. Our message to processors and retailers remains the same - We need positive price signals from the market place, that producers have a future in the decoupled era, producing quality animals in Northern Ireland".

"We need to break away from this process where processors cut prices at the first opportunity and we have passed this message directly to meat processors when we met NIMEA at the end of last week. "It's in everyone's interest that producers receive sustainable and stable prices for their stock and that positive market signals are in place for quality cattle. We certainly want no repeat of 2005, when prices turned downwards at this time of year and had a serious financial impact on producers".

The UFU says morale has been boosted in the beef sector by the removal of the beef export ban and by rising prices. Harry Sinclair said farmers needed consistent positive price signals to give them the confidence to keep producing beef in Northern Ireland. Harry Sinclair said: "This is about building a sustainable supply chain with local farmers. They shouldn't be taken for granted and it is a disappointment that just when prices were rising towards sustainable levels, we see prices knocked back as soon as there is a hint of good supplies. Our message to processors and retailers remains the same - We need positive price signals from the market place, that producers have a future in the decoupled era, producing quality animals in Northern Ireland".