Red Meat Prices Must Rise
UK - NFU Cymru has repeatedly warned in recent weeks that Britain’s beef and lamb industry could collapse if current low prices continue, calling on abattoirs and retailers to secure their UK supply base by offering producers long-term, forward priced contracts.
25 May 2007
1 minute read
NFU Cymru member, Idris Roberts, a beef & sheep farmer at Treuddyn, near Mold said, “The price of finished beef cattle has leveled off in the last 12 months and lamb prices have suffered a sharp downturn in recent weeks, further hampering livestock farm incomes which are already the lowest in the industry.
“NFU Cymru estimates that beef producers need at least an extra £1/kg to cover all costs and leave a small margin for re-investment. Similarly, the price of finished lamb would need to increase by around 62p/kg to leave a lamb finisher with a meaningful profit.
“NFU Cymru has repeatedly called on retailers not to turn their backs on home-reared beef and lamb in favour of cheaper imports, emphasizing the need to provide farmers with the correct market signals and the confidence to continue production.
“British retailers and processors need to understand that in a world where support is decoupled from production, farmers must be profitable to sustain an important industry,” added Mr Roberts.
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