October 9, 2012

 

 

France's Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Forestry releases figures which show a 10% drop in finished cattle slaughtering during August 2012 compared to a year earlier.

 

Cow supplies fell by a significant 8%, leaving throughput on a year to date basis down by 4%.

 

Young bull supplies also continued their downward trend with throughput back by some 68,000 head for the first eight months of the year with veal supplies down by a more modest 22,900 head.

 

With more limited disposals in August, producer prices continued their upward trend.

 

The average O3 cow price was recorded at a GBP0.60 (US$0.96) per kilogramme increase compared to the previous year.

 

The average price of young bulls was almost GBP0.54 (US$0.86) per kilogramme higher than August 2011 levels.

 

Exports of finished cattle were 20% higher up to the end of July.

 

This reflects increasing demand from emerging markets, (particularly Turkey, which accounted for 85% of exports).

 

In July, due to the limited availability, weanling exports to Italy fell by 17% compared to the same month in 2011.

 

In August, the average price for weanlings seemed to stabilise at a GBP0.50 (US$0.80) per kilogramme increase on the relatively weak level of August 2011.

 

In terms of beef exports, the volumes for July 2012 (20,800 tonnes) fell by 16% with the three key markets, namely Italy, Greece and Germany recording declines.

 

Beef imports, on the other hand, reach 28,900 tonnes.

 

Beef consumption for the period was down 3% compared to July/August 2011 as retail prices increased by some 5%. Consumption for the January to August period however is back by a more moderate 1.5%.