WESTERN cattle finishers are facing into an uncertain autumn with the country’s meat plants continuing to exert downward pressure on prices.

According to the IFA, there is now a 13c/kg gap between the price being paid to farmers for cattle and the Bord Bia Prime Export Benchmark price.

Brendan Golden, National IFA Livestock Chair, said that while beef prices had weakened in some of the key export markets it ‘wasn’t acceptable that Irish factories were seen to be leading these price drops’.

He also urged farmers to reject the lower quotes offered by some factories with deals of 10c/kg above the quoted prices available at some of the meat plants – up to €4.80/kg for steers and €4.85c for heifers.

“Supplies of finished cattle are tight, and will tighten further over the coming weeks and months, based on projections for the throughput for the year.

“Live export demand for forward stores and finished cattle from Northern Ireland will also add important competition to the trade.

“Based on Bord Bia supply projections for the year, 30,000 less cattle are anticipated for slaughter in the coming months, and with grass cattle slow coming to market, throughput is expected to remain tight in the coming weeks,” said Brendan Golden.

Pictured: Brendan Golden: Cuts unacceptable.