Prices of beef carcasses are stabilising, after a sharp rise in the cost of meat

The prices of beef carcasses are stabilising, according to the latest national average stats published by the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RMO).

This follows a steep rise in the prices consumers pay for beef.

The hike coincided with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in a number of provinces, starting in Gauteng.

However, this outbreak is not the prime cause of beef becoming more expensive, says agricultural economist Thabile Nkunjana.

Foot-and-mouth outbreak: SA needs to revitalise its ability to produce animal vaccines, says agricultural economist

While disease is a concern, it is supply and demand that is the driver of prices in the market, he says.

In this case there was already a shortage of slaughter-ready cattle, caused by the impact of drought.

"There was a problem with the price of feed because its production was impacted as we were coming from the previous season because of the drought. We had even begun to recover from that when we had this FMD outbreak."

Thabile Nkunjana, Agricultural Economist

He notes that an increase in the prices of beef on the shelves will vary across products and grades of meat.

"Consumers will buy the kind of cut where they see more affordability... so the spike is normally not the same across the products."

Thabile Nkunjana, Agricultural Economist

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the conversation