ICMSA accuses factories of using 'mind games' to reduce cattle prices
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) has hit out at Irish meat processors, who it claims, are using "mind games" to drive down cattle prices.
According to the chair of ICMSA’s Livestock Committee, Michael O’Connell, meat processors are currently engaged in the "manipulation of their supply base in an opportunistic and cynical attempt of trying to regain control over the beef trade from the farmers".
O'Connell said today (Tuesday, April 29) that regardless of record prices recently, the next six to eight months are critical to the Irish beef industry because farmers’ livelihoods are on the line as a result of the increased cost of store cattle.
The chair of the ICMSA’s livestock committee said latest figures released by Bord Bia indicate that there will be a "further drop in the number of available cattle for the remainder of 2025 of anywhere between 70,000 to 112,000 cattle".
"Traditionally, we have seen the autumn period as a time where downward pressure would be applied on beef price by the factories as a means of manipulating store cattle price to allow the factories fill their feedlots.
"But these Bord Bia figures indicate that the second half of the year may not be as rosy for the factories as they might imagine.
"There is huge demand internationally for Irish weanlings, some of which would traditionally be slaughtered in late spring/early summer as under 16-month bulls or into the autumn at around 20 months, there’s also a massive cross-border demand for heavy continental steers, heifers and cows," O’Connell added.
As a result he claims it "may not be the simplest summer or autumn period for processors" and could present an opportunity for farmers to get "properly paid for cattle".
O’Connell is now warning against what he has described as the "sheer disrespect and negativity surrounding the trade" currently.
"We hear the stories that beef cattle are scarce in the west at the same time as there is so-called ‘waiting list’ to get cattle slaughtered in the midlands and south.
"There is a geographic divide in terms of price with stronger prices seemingly available in the west and northern midlands. But it seems incredibly difficult to establish the base price of cattle today," he added.
According to the ICMSA chair, while flat prices are still available for cattle, in his opinion there "was as many interpretations of the grid as there were farmers selling".
He believes that over the coming weeks factory-owned cattle are going to be "killed at the expense of genuine farmers who will be the losers based on the ridiculous price cuts".
O'Connell today also pointed to the fact that Ireland is currently one of only five EU countries that is clear of bluetongue and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) which, he believes, "leaves us in a very strong position in terms of export markets".
"The factories need to have a chat with themselves, they are trying to undermine that process is unacceptable and more than that it just won’t work.
"We can read the data and we won’t buy the absolutely made-up manipulation and cynicism. Beef markets remain strong, and farmers should vigorously resist any attempts from the meat plants to cut prices," he said.
