UFU Calls For Better Market Return For Beef
IRELAND - The Ulster Farmers’ Union has expressed its concerns as rising production costs put further pressure on beef producer incomes. It has been estimated that the increase in feed prices between 1st March 2010 and 1st March 2011 alone will have added an extra 40p/kg to the cost of finishing beef animals.
1 March 2011
1 minute read
UFU Beef and Lamb Chairman Ray Elkin said; “For the week ending 19 February 2011 the average price for steers had only increased by over 10p/kg compared to the same week in 2010. This is very concerning; as it doesn’t even begin to touch the 40p/kg increase we have seen in feed prices in the past year. Net farm income figures from DARD show that without subsidy cattle and sheep farms are losing money and the escalating cost of feed, fuel and fertiliser will only increase the losses within these farm businesses even further. Prices need to rise immediately for beef producers to stay in business.”
The UFU has held a number of meetings with the large multiple retailers and have been extremely frustrated at there unwillingness to look at the long term sustainability of our industry.
UFU Beef and Lamb Chairman Ray Elkin said; “Unless we get clear signals now that prices will rise to help cover the increasing cost of production beef producers will be forced to look at their options threatening the future supply of quality Northern Irish Beef.”
Farmers want to produce the quality beef demanded by the consumer. However, unless they get a better return from the market place for their end product they will be forced to look at using their land for alternative enterprises.
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