Farmers protest over cheap beef

Farmers are angry about cheap beef imports

Farmers have marched to a supermarket in Belfast in protest at beef imports which they claim will cost thousands of jobs in Northern Ireland.

Ulster Farmers Union President Campbell Tweed said supermarkets were being disloyal to local producers.

Speaking at the Tesco outlet on the Antrim Road, he claimed low priced beef from Brazil has contributed to a crash in the cattle market.

However, Tesco said it was committed to local produce.

The UFU has said beef producers are receiving only £1.74 per kilogram for top grade beef, while the best projections at the cost of production are well over £2.00 per kilogram.

Mr Tweed said: "They are doing a lot of damage to a good local industry here.

"Quite simply they have to change their way of going or we won't be here."

Price slump

Cliff Kells, Tesco's commercial manager in Northern Ireland, said the falling prices issue was bigger than a special purchase they were running and that they were committed to local produce.

"Look at the commitment we've given you. This is a small targeted offer against all of this ongoing commitment across and outside Northern Ireland - I really would ask farmers to think about that," he said.

Low priced imports account for less than 5% of beef sales in the supermarket, but large volumes of South American beef are now being used in the catering industry.

Faced with an alarming slump in cattle prices farmers have said they plan further protests.