Beef still a seller's market says Murnion

The Balmoral Show was dominated by talk of falling beef prices but various associations have said it is still a seller’s market.

"I was disappointed to hear so much negative talk at Balmoral. It is in processors’ interest to talk down the price of beef, but farmers should not just accept it as fact and then take a lower price when they send cattle to the factory" said NBA NI Chairman Oisin Murnion, who visited the event.

But a lack of grass, recent cold weather and troubles in the eurozone were all reasons enough for the discussion at the Balmoral Show to move on to the subject of beef prices.

Murnion replied that none of those points are serious enough to outweigh the fact that cattle is still in short supply and should not be used to buy cattle at a lower price than usual.

"The euro slipping is another reason I’ve heard given as a reason for cattle prices falling, but we need to remain positive. It has slipped a bit, but it’s not dropped through the floor and, at the end of the day, the UK, Europe and the rest of the world is desperate for beef."

"The value of the euro does affect how our beef competes with that from South of the border, but just look at the appetite the Republic of Ireland has to supply international markets. They are putting huge emphasis on places like Libya and China, meaning far less Irish beef for the UK market.

"I know how easy it is to be disheartened by negative talk about the beef sector and beef prices, but I urge fellow producers to not be put off and to recognise the value of their cattle at a time when demand is ever-increasing and supply has never been shorter."