Invitation to Retailers Welcome, but Urgent Meeting of Beef Taskforce Needed
IFA President Joe Healy has welcomed the fact that retailers have now been invited to attend the next meeting of the Beef Market Taskforce scheduled for January 9th, and that a number of retailers have confirmed they will attend.
“At our action at retail distribution centres last week, we pointed out that retailers have been hiding in the long grass. It’s overdue, but welcome, that they will be called to account on January 9th. Each of the five major retailers must attend and fully engage,” he said.
However, we need an urgent meeting of the Taskforce as the gap between the Irish price and the Bord Bia export benchmark price has widened to 24c/kg, with the gap with the UK over 50c/kg,” he said.
“We met the Minister last week and stressed to him that he needed to act now to help farmers. Involving the retailers is a welcome step that should have happened before now, but we need an urgent meeting as farmers are in dire straits,” he said.
