Agri-food regulator shares latest factory beef sale prices
The Agri-Food Regulator has shared the latest available factory beef sale prices, with the pricing information broken down into three main categories.
The latest data available is for the week ending Sunday, March 2, and shows monthly price increases of 1.8-2.8% across the three categories.
The information comes as the beef prices paid to farmers are on a significant upward trajectory with base prices having increased substantially since the beginning of the year.
The regulator publishs weekly aggregate selling prices for the following three categories:
- Beef forequarter;
- Beef hindquarter;
- 5% fat content beef minced meat.
The Agri-Food Regulator has acknowledged that limitations of this process should be taken into consideration when interpreting the figures, as the values provided represent selling prices - no costs are accounted for.
As well as this, the sale of beef as forequarter and hindquarter is not typical in Ireland.
The table below details the latest available information on the weekly selling prices for beef forequarter, beef hindquarter and beef minced meat:
| Beef forequarter (€/kg) | Beef hindquarter (€/kg) | Minced Beef 5%fat (€/kg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week ending Sunday, March 2 | €5.38 | €7.78/kg | €9.47/kg |
| Weekly change | -0.36% | -0.44% | +1.31% |
| Monthly change | +1.80% | +2.18% | +2.80% |
In the week ending Sunday, March 2, factory quotes for prices paid to farmers were at approximately €6.50/kg on the grid for heifers, leaving 'all in' prices of up to €7.20/kg available in cases that week for in-spec R-grade Angus heifers.
In the week ending Sunday, March 2, the average factory price paid to farmers was €6.93/kg for R=3= heifers.
The table below details information on the weekly selling prices for beef forequarter, beef hindquarter and beef minced meat in previous weeks:
| Week commencing | Beef forequarter (€/kg) | Beef hindquarter (€/kg) | Minced Beef 5%fat (€/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17/02/2025 | €5.40/kg | €7.82/kg | €9.34/kg |
| 10/02/2025 | €5.35/kg | €7.75/kg | €9.38/kg |
| 03/02/2025 | €5.35/kg | €7.66/kg | €9.28/kg |
| 27/01/2025 | €5.28/kg | €7.62/kg | €9.21/kg |
| 20/01/2025 | €5.28/kg | €7.56/kg | €9.09/kg |
| 13/01/2025 | €5.18/kg | €7.39/kg | €8.92/kg |
| 06/01/2025 | €5.07/kg | €7.38/kg | €8.91/kg |
| 30/12/2024 | €5.08/kg | €7.54/kg | €8.89/kg |
The method used to produce the values takes an average of the yield data for all bovine animals, captured by each processor from the previous year, to weight the value of cuts produced from the carcass.
These weighted values are then reconstituted back into forequarter and hindquarter sections by each processor, as defined by a standardised cutting technique, to produce composite values for each section.
The standardised cutting technique used in this process is the ‘Italian Pistola Cut’. The main features of this cut are that it maximises yield and value by separating high-value muscles and emphasises premium cuts, according to the regulator.
A weighting based on the previous year’s national kill is applied to the submitted values to create a single weighted average value for each of the three reported prices. These weekly weighted average values are then reported to the EU.
This method was selected to satisfy the requirements of European regulations, with a view to realising the value accruing to processors with different customer bases and final demands.
