Producers prepared to carry out slaughter

If the dispute over fresh beef is not resolved and slaughterers persist in their action not to kill animals for the third week running, producers are prepared to do the job themselves to cater for the demand from butchers.

Beef producers took this stand at a meeting on Monday with the Milk Producers Cooperative (KPH) in the presence of Edwin Vassallo, parliamentary secretary in the finance ministry.

The KPH, which represents the producers, and the GRTU - Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, representing the slaughterers, are at loggerheads over a production bonus and the immediate introduction of meat grading at the abattoir.

Since butchers are running out of fresh beef, the Meatsellers' Association has now also entered the fray, upset that it was not informed of the action and irked that its members cannot sell fresh beef to their clients.

The association, which represents 274 butchers, is holding an extraordinary general meeting for its members at the former Metco premises, in San Gwann tomorrow at 4 p.m. to discuss the issue. It will decide whether it should buy fresh beef from the producers if they kill the animals instead.

The association said it was informed the KPH would offer the fresh beef at the same prices and on the same conditions.

The association said the slaughterers had also been invited to attend Monday's meeting but the GRTU had advised them not to.

GRTU director general Vince Farrugia said that since it was already negotiating with the Agriculture Ministry it did not wish to get involved with another ministry so as not to complicate matters.

He queried whether the producers were capable of slaughtering animals in line with professional standards.

Asked if a solution was in sight before next Monday's slaughter, Mr Farrugia said it was still early in the week to say. He warned that if the producers carried out the slaughter themselves, then the KPH would be abusing its monopolistic position and changing the competitive structure of the market.

The dispute arose last month after the government introduced the EU diary compensation scheme for the dairy industry and at the same time withdrew the Lm5 production bonus it gave to slaughterers.

Mr Farrugia said the GRTU would continue to insist that the present status quo on prices and production bonus be maintained until Malta joins the EU on May 1 so as to be in a better position to determine the effects of a liberalised market.

However, it was insisting that the grading system of animals earmarked for slaughter be introduced immediately.