EU Cattle Prices League Table
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - 2011 has been a remarkable year for the European beef trade with substantial price increases over the course of the year.
22 December 2011
2 minute read
In NI, base quotes
for U-three prime cattle reached
a top of 326p/kg in
November and with deals
and bonuses available, U3
heifer prices peaked at
336p/kg.
While the NI trade has been
buoyant, GB prices have
been even higher and in the
week ending 13 November,
GB topped the league table
of EU R3 heifer prices.
Greece and Italy typically
have had the highest prices
in the EU in recent years, so
this represented a significant
change for the industry.
In NI in recent weeks,
reported R3 heifer prices
averaged 328p/kg (w/e
11/12/11). While this was
similar to prices in November
(w/e 13/11/11), prices had
increased and then fallen
again during the intervening
period, reaching a peak of
332p/kg in the last week of
November.
A similar trend was evident in
GB over the same period. In
the week ending 11
December, GB prices were
broadly similar to mid-November levels at 339p/kg.
However, during that
intervening period prices
peaked at 341p/kg.
Some in the industry
expressed concerns that UK
prices may have been prone
to a price correction
whenever GB prices rose
sharply relative to European
prices in November.
However, it may offer some
reassurance that Greek,
Spanish and Italian prices
have increased since then
and displaced GB prices at
the top of the table. ROI
prices have also increased
since mid-November with a
10c/kg lift reported.
The ongoing slide in the euro
will continue to cause
concerns about the
competitiveness of the UK
beef trade since a weaker
euro will render NI and GB
prices higher relative to
Eurozone levels.
Further Reading
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