Farmers are fighting back hard against the factories on cattle prices this week, according to IFA national livestock committee chairman Henry Burns.
Commenting on trade this week, Burns said: "Farmers are not prepared to take the lower quoted prices.
Factories are finding it extremely difficult to get cattle and have to pay 5c to 10c/kg over quoted prices to get numbers."
Burns accused factories of using the bad weather situation over the last three weeks to attack cattle prices in 'a most unjustified way'.
He said factories that were offering farmers a base price of €3.95/kg for cattle last week are this week paying €4.05/kg for steers and €4.15/kg for heifers.
According to the IFA, Minister Coveney needs to react to the negative message from the meat factories on cattle prices and secure the re-commencement of the live export trade to Libya, Egypt and the Lebanon without further delay.
Burns said: "Against the price cutting tactics of the factories, Minister Coveney must re-open the live trade for price competition and alternative market outlets."
farmersjournal.ie
Source: Argentine Beef Packers S.A.
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