| Following an IFA meeting of over 350 angry cattle farmers in Portloaise this week, Monaghan IFA Livestock’s Committee Chairman Andrew Boylan said the message from the meeting was loud and clear, winter finishers are not going to feed cattle at loss making prices from the factories again this year. Andrew Boylan said feeders are demanding minimum guaranteed prices or contracts from the factories. He said without some level of guarantee or security on prices, finishers are not going to be in a position to feed cattle this winter. Andrew Boylan said IFA is organising local meetings between feeders in each county with local factory management on prices, guarantees and commitments for next winter / spring. The IFA Livestock leader said, “factories must show some level of commitment to winter finishers and year round beef production. Otherwise they will not have the cattle numbers necessary to supply beef to our retail markets in the UK and across Europe at Christmas and into next spring.” Andrew Boylan said circumstances are very different this year. Cattle supplies for the reminder of the year are expected to be down by 30,000 / 40,000 head. Supplies for next year will be down a further 100,000 head. Live exports are very strong at 270,000 to date this year. Costs are much higher, with feed costs up €50 to €80 per head. Andrew Boylan said the Teagasc economic figures show that cattle prices would need to rise by a minimum of 60c/kg over last year’s levels. Andrew Boylan said winter feeders will have to adopt an alternative plan this year in order to avoid another year of losses. “Factories must match the commitment of farmers and be prepared to share some of the risks with guaranteed prices or contracts”. |
Friday, 17 September 2010 16:29