THE National Beef Association has called on supermarkets to continue their commitment to British beef and to resist the temptation to import the cheaper product from Eire.

It says national deadweight steer prices plunged by 6p-7p a kilo to 166.3p in the four weeks to October 7 and have been under further pressure since, while the national all-cattle auction average has slipped from 89.57p to 85.85p over the same period.

"We are alarmed that R4 bullocks in the Republic of Ireland were making just 148.5p last week and at suggestions that more multiples are being tempted by the availability of such cheap supplies," said NBA chairman Mr Robert Robinson.

"We know that more Southern Irish beef has gradually been sold by supermarkets, compared with their intake immediately after the successful blockading of ports by farmers in 1997, and are worried this could turn into a surge in the run up to Christmas.

"Even more disturbing are reports that French beef consumption has faltered in line with increased domestic media cov- erage of the rise in BSE in the French cattle herd and that Irish beef that would otherwise have been sold in France is already being diverted on to the well-supplied British market."

According to the NBA prime cattle prices are also under pressure as underfinished cattle have been sold directly off damaged grassland to ease stocking pressures and conserve winter forage

"This is unfortunate but acceptable,"said Mr Robinson.

"However we would be deeply unhappy if the multiples, which are continually emphasising their loyalty to British farm produce and to British production standards, reduced their purchasing levels of domestic beef by lifting their Irish orders." That would deepen the already damaging income crisis on farms.