Farmers to launch 24 hour protest at factories

Farmers are to launch a 24 hour protest outside all meat factories, including in Kilbeggan, from 3 pm this Monday, October 27, until Tuesday afternoon.

Farmers in the UK are receiving €350 per head more for cattle sent to factories than farmers in this country, IFA president, Eddie Downey said today, as he called for farmers to support the protest.

“Farmers have had enough and are not prepared to tolerate loss-making prices any longer, especially when markets are returning much higher prices,” he stated.

Irish beef sales are up 20 per cent this year – but in our biggest export market, the UK, current prices for R grade steers are running at the equivalent of €4.74/kg incl vat, which is €1/kg higher than the €3.73/kg Irish price.

 

Mr Downey challeged the factories to explain their failure to pass back recent UK market price increases of over €100 per head and said for the past 12 months, the factories have hammered farmers with loss-making prices and specification cuts that have inflicted serious income damage on producers.

“Farmers cannot continue to sell cattle at a loss. Teagasc figures show that on our most efficient farms, producers need a base price of at least €4.00/kg to make a small margin and €4.50/kg to make a return on investment and labour.”

He added that Irish prices are now also below the EU average. Eddie Downey called on the beef processors to reflect the stronger market returns in prices paid to farmers without any further delay.

The IFA Livestock leader said the most recent Teagasc National farm Income survey data shows that incomes on livestock farms are extremely low. Teagasc has confirmed that livestock farm incomes are down 13% to 22% last year, ranging from €9,469 to €15,595.