Mr. Cormac Healy:

I will answer it. The average price paid to beef producers - this was the case for most of last year too - was 107% of the EU average. We export 90% of the beef we produce, but in most states there is a domestic premium, with consumers paying a little more for their home product. However, they have an import requirement and in many markets we are coming in as the next supplier. Many years ago the price would have been 90% or 95% of the EU average, whereas now it is above the overall average, which reflects a strong performance. I have never met a farmer who did not believe he or she should get more for his or her produce, but there is also competitive pressure among the various proteins and the price has to be compared to that for pork and chicken.