THE BSE crisis drove down the price of all beef cuts in retail out lets last year, but the consumer price of beef has been rising again since the beginning of this year.
Central Statistics Office figures published by An Bord Bia at the weekend show that the retail price of round steak fell by almost 8 per cent in 1996 to £2.88p per lb.
Round steak prices up to the end of last April were £2.77 per lb 7 per cent lower than in the corresponding period in 1996, although prices have been moving upwards since the beginning of the year.
Sirloin steak prices, according to the report in the board's Market Bulletin, were not as badly affected and fell by 6.4 per cent to £3.84p per lb. However, they had recovered considerably up to last April, with prices at £3.77p per lb, 3 per cent down on the previous year. Rib steak prices fell by 7 per cent last year while brisket pot roast prices were 3 per cent lower.
The report shows that the beef crisis led to benefits for lamb producers and processors. Whole leg prices were 8 per cent higher in 1996 at £2.55p per lb. This increase continued into 1997, with leg prices in April 5 per cent ahead of the 1996 prices.
Loin chop prices were almost 9 per cent higher in 1996 at £3.48p per lb. Consumers paid 15 per cent more for loin chops up to last April than in the previous year. The average price per lb was £4.08p.
Gigot chop prices increased by 9 per cent to £2.51p per lb in 1996 and prices were up by 14 per cent for gigot chops in the first four months of this year.
Pork prices also increased because of demand and pork loin chop prices were 10 per cent higher in 1996 at £2.60p per lb, but the increase was only 3 per cent in the first four months of this year, when the average price was £2.63 per lb.
Previously published CSO figures on cattle prices show that these fell by between 15 and 20 per cent during 1996.
The Bord Bia report said that the CSO figures showed that the full decline in cattle prices was not evident at retail level, since beef prices were down by only 6 to 9 per cent, depending on the type of cut.