27/10/2014

Farmers To Block Meat Factories In Price Protest

Farmers across Ireland are expected to stage a series of blockades at a number of meat factories today as part of a protest into pricing.

Thousands of farmers are said to attend the protests over complaints regarding the prices they are being paid for their cattle.

They have argued that UK markets are paying increased prices for imported beef from Ireland, but farmers are not seeing this benefit.

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has organised the 24-hour protest. It is the first such protest in 15 years and will start at 3pm today (27 October).

IFA President, Eddie Downey, said farmers were angry over the €350 price difference between what is paid for cattle in Ireland and the UK.

"Beef farmers have had a very tough year, and with our main markets now recovering strongly they are not prepared to tolerate loss-making prices any longer," he added.

(JP/MH)

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