Beef Finishers Hit by Covid-19 & Brexit Losses of €111m
IFA National Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said Agriculture Minister Creed must secure a direct payment package to make up for the beef price losses for winter finishers on the back of COVID-19 and Brexit inflicted market disturbances this spring.
He said the figures show winter finishers selling cattle have taken a battering on beef price in the order of €200 per head, when compared to the pre-Brexit and pre-COVID-19 prices.
“Without a direct payment to make up for these price losses, many winter finishers will not survive after this spring, which has been financially horrendous,” he said.
Over the nine-week period from March 16th to May 17th,. the figures show that the COVID-19 related losses were €21.22m, or about €2.5m per week.
On top of this, finishers have incurred Brexit related price cuts and calculated from Jan 1st to May 17th. These amount to €89.8m, or about €4.5m per week.
