Desperate beef farmers are looking for "friends" in the processing and retail sectors, the National Beef Association has warned as it looks ahead to Friday's summit in London which will address the crisis in the UK beef industry.

"By this they mean slaughterers and supermarkets who can accept that anyone who continues to breed or finish cattle for less than the cost of production is no longer a businessman but a fool," explained NBA chief executive, Robert Forster.

"They want people who are prepared to pay a purchase price that can deliver management and investment income to their suppliers to identify themselves so that required levels of home-production are maintained."

"Beef farmers cannot keep their businesses together on distant promises. Recent persistent losses are pushing thousands to the point of quitting and they need to know if they have any friends among processors or retailers, and something to look forward to in the future, or else they will begin to shut their businesses down."

The NBA finds it difficult to understand how professionals in other sectors either cannot understand, or are unable to react to, the simple fact that committed and efficient beef farmers cannot survive if they suffer sustained losses.

"Apologists for the insane strategies which assume cattle will continue to be produced in the UK even though they deliver no profit usually react by declaring that ex-farm prices are dictated by market forces," said Mr Forster.

"If that remains their philosophy they will have to accept that farmers too are market driven and will take the advice of their accountants and bank managers when this year's profit and loss accounts are completed."

"We predict that thousands will be told they are wasting their time unless there are clear signals from the market that further commitment to beef production is justified."

Nor is the NBA convinced that recent dismal market prices reflect current supply and demand balance as accurately as many processors claim.

"Import figures confirm that Brazilian beef deliveries slowed down in July but oversupply from Brazil was still blamed for the unexpected mid-summer drop in finishers' income," said Mr Forster.

"And although processors stoutly maintain that oversupply is continuing to drive prices ten per cent lower than they were this time last year the most recent slaughter figures confirm that less cattle are being killed in the UK and Ireland than there was last autumn."

"Someone out there is taking the mickey. Blatant, short term, profit taking on this scale is indefensible - especially if it puts the future of an entire industry at risk," he added.

Beef farmers ready to make a stand on cattle prices
Slaughterers will be looking for heavy carcase cows