Cattle farmers around the State have halted deliveries of beef to meat factories in protest at falling prices.
The decision was taken after an Irish Farmers Association (IFA) meeting in Carlow last night, which was attended by 500 cattle farmers.
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The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh: The IFA is seeking a meeting over beef prices.
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An IFA spokesman said the base prices of €2.52 per kilogram for O-grade beasts and €2.66 per kilogram for R-grade were not being offered by meat factories around the country who "operate in a concerted fashion".
He said the fall in prices, agreed after the beef blockade in January 2000, began three weeks ago.
"The mood at the meeting was very strong and very determined", he said. "Farmers are not going back to a situation of being price takers".
The IFA will meet again within a week to review any possible response from the meat industry. The association will also be seeking a meeting with the Minister for Agriculture Mr Walsh.
In a statement the Irish Meat Association (IMA) said: "the price paid for cattle is a function of supply and demand in the marketplace".
"The level of cattle prices must reflect the commercial reality of the marketplace and while cattle prices have fallen in recent weeks, returns from the marketplace have fallen at an even faster rate".
The statement went on say that "the industry is also concerned about the recent weakening in the beef market and the continuing difficulties in securing outlets for Irish beef".
The IMA says it has been seeking a meeting with the IFA since mid-January to discuss the situation.
In January 2000, the IFA clsoed down the export industry for nearly a month and were fined £500,000 for defying the High Court.
