Scottish beef producers are being forced to wait up to five weeks to get cattle into abattoirs, claims NFU Scotland.
According to the union, there is growing concern among producers over falling prices and increasing waiting lists to send animals for slaughter.
Last week the average deadweight price for Scottish steers stood at 328 pence per kg, compared to 359 pence a kg in the same week in 2015.
Based on an average carcase weight of 370kg, prime animals are making almost £115 less per head than a year ago.
“Farmers are rightly worried about the falling prices. We are seeing prices back more than 10 percent year on year for both the store and finished markets. With late support payments and some challenging weather, it is a tough time for Scotland’s cattle farmers,” said the union’s livestock committee chairman, Charlie Adam, who farms at Braeside, Cushnie, Alford.
“There are certain areas in the Scottish beef market that must be addressed. The Scottish, UK and Irish prices are all very similar. This must make imports less attractive and our beef more competitive in Europe but it also shows the urgent need to re-establish the premium that is normally attached to the Scotch brand.”
He said farmgate prices were also the victim of retail price wars.
“It is also clear that retailers are fighting to regain competitiveness and increase margins. This means the amount they pay for beef is being pushed lower but that doesn’t appear to equate to a better deal for consumers as beef prices at a retail level appear static at best. That means beef producers must secure a fairer share of the margins being made on beef,” added Mr Adam.
“NFU Scotland’s livestock committee will be looking at the beef situation at their meeting in May. That will include a discussion on the potential benefits of having industry agreed terms and conditions in the Scottish beef trade. A similar proposal is already under discussion in England and Wales.”
To address problems in the beef supply chain, NFU Scotland is running a series of drop-in sessions at livestock marts across the country including one at Huntly Auction Mart on April 23.