The news this week that Dawn Meats is to become the biggest beef processor in the country after it’s takeover of Dunbia is not good news for farmers and will mean that the whole beef and sheep meat processing industry is being controlled by just a few operators which is very bad for competition.
I made the same comments a few years ago when AIPB took over Slayney Meats and now we have a situation where two operators control over 51% of the beef and sheep meat procressing industry. This is bad news for farmers and it means that as time goes on there will be less and less competition. With regard to the EU and the Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan, they seem to be turning a blind eye to this situation. It is ironic that only a couple of years ago the EU would not allow Ryanair to take over Aer Lingus because of competition issues yet the same rules do not seem to apply to the Agriculture sector.
It is live exports that are keeping beef prices up at the moment and it is vital that we continue to hold on to the live export markets that we have and that new markets must be developed. This almost monopoly situation by a couple of major players in the meat processing industry is not a welcome development where farmers, and particularly small farmers are concerned and I am calling on Minister Creed to make a statement on the matter.
