Table: Latest factory beef sale prices show over 19% rise
The Agri-Food Regulator has shared the latest available average price data on factory beef sale prices, with a monthly increase of over 19% in the sale price of beef minced meat (5% fat).
The pricing information is broken down into three main categories: beef forequarter; beef hindquarter; and beef minced meat 5% fat.
Interestingly, the lowest monthly percentage price increase was seen in the beef hindquarter category with a 9.1% rise. Hindquarter beef is traditionally associated with the higher value cuts of beef.
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, April 13 | €6.28/kg | €9.01/kg | €11.23/kg |
| Weekly change | +1.42% | +1.65% | +2.41% |
| Monthly change | +11.52% | +9.11% | +19.32% |
In the week ending Sunday, April 13, the average price paid to farmers for R+3= grade steers was €8.10/kg.
The data made available by the Agri-Food Regulator indicates that minced beef has the highest value on a per kilo basis followed by hindquarter beef and then forequarter beef.
The table below details information on the weekly selling prices for beef forequarter, beef hindquarter, and beef minced meat in previous weeks:
| Week ending | Beef forequarter (€/kg) | Beef hindquarter (€/kg) | Minced beef 5%fat (€/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06/04/2025 | €6.19/kg | €8.86/kg | €10.96/kg |
| 30/03/2025 | €5.79/kg | €8.53/kg | €10.85/kg |
| 23/03/2025 | €5.68/kg | €8.40/kg | €10.71/kg |
| 16/03/2025 | €5.63/kg | €8.26/kg | €9.41/kg |
| 09/03/2025 | €5.57/kg | €8.15/kg | €9.54/kg |
| 02/03/2025 | €5.55/kg | €8.06/kg | €9.33/kg |
| 23/02/2025 | €5.42/kg | €7.80/kg | €9.26/kg |
| 16/02/2025 | €5.43/kg | €7.85/kg | €9.17/kg |
| 09/02/2025 | €5.40/kg | €7.81/kg | €9.26/kg |
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 method used to produce the factory beef sale prices 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.
