Meat processors operating abroad as labour shortages bite

Meat processors struggling with acute labour shortages have been forced to shift operations abroad, leading to mounting concerns about the longer term availability of British meat.

Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, said a lack of butchers in the UK meant some companies were already exporting full carcasses to the continent to be cut and distributed.

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“It is an increasing problem,” he said.

“You are devaluing the product. When you export a carcass, the margins on it are nowhere near as great once you start deboning, and that is when you really add value. You are damaging UK PLC.”

Mr Allan went on to warn there was a risk that in future, processors may source animals closer to overseas sites.  

“This is the danger here, that you are just running down the UK industry,” he said.

“What is the next step? Do these companies want [animals] from the UK when an Irish company is probably more favourable and does not have all the extra costs of exporting to Europe?”

However, Chris Shand, chief executive of the National Beef Association, told Farmers Weekly there was “no threat to British beef” because of high consumer and export demand.

The NFU’s chief livestock adviser, John Royle, also said the risk of processors moving away from UK product at the moment was small because of a lack of stock in Europe, but agreed with Mr Allan that exporting whole carcasses was “eroding the value going back to the producer.”

Mr Allan’s comments came as the Home Office confirmed it was working with the Migration Advisory Committee on reviewing the shortage occupation list, just days after announcing a pause in the process.

Industry had called for butchers to be put on the list.