The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has hit out at meat factories in dropping prices for the most expensive cattle to produce when key export markets are strong.

EU prices have now surged past Irish prices, IFA livestock chair Declan Hanrahan highlighted.

This, he added, is something that hasn’t happened since the end of 2024.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It reflects the strength of demand for beef in a market that took half of our exports in 2025 and continues to be a key outlet.

“EU beef prices have risen over 65c/kg since last June. Our prices over the same period have dropped almost 30c/kg, representing a turnaround of almost €1/kg. In the outlets for 90% of our exports, prices are almost 30c/kg above ours as EU and UK beef prices align. Both these high value markets have reduced production, so they need more imports,” he said.

“Winter finishers will not take this unacceptable behaviour lying down. Farmers have made huge investments in buying stock and finishing them for factories at the most expensive time of year, only to find themselves faced with weak selling and opportunism from factories.”

Declan Hanrahan said factories and Bord Bia are continually telling us of the need for Quality Assurance to access the high-value UK and EU markets. “We are delivering these standards, but factories are not playing their part in returning the value of these markets to farmers.”

He said factories need to urgently reassess their behaviour of the last few weeks, stand strong and return viable prices to farmers or there will be longer term repercussions for the sector.

“The live export trade is booming and will only get stronger as beef farmers are squeezed out of the marketplace due to the reluctance and failure of factories to return viable prices,” he said.

“We have seen some rationalisation in recent weeks from two of our major processors. There current behaviour will lead to more of this as our live export markets value our cattle more than factories here are prepared to,” he concluded.