Sir, – Your editorial ("A fair deal for farmers", June 19th) claimed that since 2011 "dairy prices powered ahead but meat prices fell". The reality is that Irish cattle prices increased by 18 per cent in the period 2011 to 2013.
Yes, there are currently some challenges in the beef sector with regard to profitability at producer level, but 2013 saw record high prices for beef cattle. Price have actually increased by 40 per cent since 2009. However, many farmers were unable to capitalise on those high prices due to a combination of increasing input (feed/fertiliser) prices and inefficiencies at farm level. While prices have reduced slightly in 2014, due to falling demand, the Irish cattle prices remain higher than the EU average.
Recently the Minister for Agriculture commissioned an independent report to assess how the beef sector was performing. The comprehensive Dowling report followed consultation with all stakeholders in the sector, including farm organisations, processors and retail customers. The report makes a number of recommendations on breeding, on-farm production efficiencies and animal health programmes, all of which should now be taken on board by the farming sector. If adopted, these recommendations will add significantly to farmers’ margins.
The beef sector is a critically important part of the agri-sector and a major contributor to the wider economy.
Ireland is well placed to deliver on the targets of Food Harvest 2020 and continue the progress made by Bord Bia and the beef processors in marketing Irish beef to European and global markets.
It is important that farmers, and their representative bodies, now engage with Teagasc and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation in terms of adopting the innovative measures to assist them reduce costs, breed animals that will optimise market returns and, in doing so, make their businesses more profitable. – Yours, etc,
JOE RYAN,
Meat Industry Ireland,
84/86 Lower Baggot Street,
Dublin 2.