Beef crisis has only been delayed not resolved – McGrath

Independent TD Mattie McGrath has expressed his concern that last year’s pricing crisis within the beef farming sector is set to re-emerge over the next month. Deputy McGrath was speaking as it is being reported that British beef processors are beginning to cut prices by £1/kg on all non-UK beef stock; a move that will disproportionately affect Irish beef farmers :

“It is now just over 12 months since the Minister for Agriculture established the Beef Round Table forum in an effort to establish clear and fair pricing protocols for Irish farmers.

At the time there was a lot of fanfare and things seemed to marginally increase once the focus was on the issue.

Now however we are witnessing to a return to the cartel like activities of the processors who are  targeting Irish farmers in no uncertain terms.

I would call on Minister Coveney to work more closely with his British counterpart, the Minister of State for Farming Mr George Eustice MP to try and limit this kind of activity.

I am aware that the Beef Round Table has led to the creation of the farmers Producer Organisations who can now negotiate for improved inputs and outputs for their members and this is a welcome move in the right direction.

What I would be concerned about however is that regardless of how organised these groups are, what they will need is the full weight of Ministerial authority backing them in order for any meaningful progress to made.

We cannot allow a return to the kind of situation which existed last year when beef farmers were essentially raising their product solely for the profit of the beef industry cartel,” concluded Deputy McGrath.