Ifa calls for urgent beef price increase
Following a meeting of the IFA Executive Board last week, President Eddie Downey said there has to be an urgent response from the meat factories that delivers a price increase to farmers that reflects the improved market situation.
Last week 15,000 farmers took part in a 24-hour beef protest at meat factories around the country and farm organizations later met with Minister Coveney.
Mr Downey said farmers have struggled with loss-making beef prices through all of 2014 and patience on the ground has run out. “At the Beef Forum, Minister Coveney challenged the factories directly as to why they are not returning the increased market prices to farmers. The response from the industry has to be swift and meaningful.”
Mr Downey said he made it very clear to the Minister and the factories at the Beef Forum that they must respond to this week’s 24-hour beef protest by 15,000 farmers by addressing the massive €350 per head price gap that has now opened up with our main export market in the UK.
The IFA President said the meat industry’s commitment to the minister to address the issues must translate into beef price increases quickly.
Minister Coveney confirmed that he will convene another meeting of the Beef Forum on Wednesday November 12th.