Finland has Europe’s cheapest beef – and experts are puzzled by the price gap

Finnish cattle farmers receive significantly lower prices for their animals than producers elsewhere in Europe, and researchers cannot fully explain why, reports Yle.

While beef producer prices rose across Europe in 2024, Finland’s prices failed to follow the same trend, leaving farmers frustrated. Csaba Jansik, a senior researcher at Finland’s Natural Resources Institute (Luke), described the situation as a breakdown of a system that had functioned for at least 15 years.

**”We are not 100 percent certain what this is due to,”** Jansik told Yle.

Concentrated market limits competition

Jansik suggested that Finland’s highly concentrated meat market may be a factor. With few major slaughterhouses and even fewer retailers, competition is limited, making price adjustments slower. Additionally, Finnish beef production primarily serves the domestic market, where prices depend on what local consumers and stores are willing to pay rather than international trends.

Global beef demand has driven up prices elsewhere in Europe, but Finland’s producer prices, though rising, remain far below the EU average. Jansik noted that the only way to influence prices is through negotiations with retailers to increase meat prices.

Halal demand cited as a factor

Atria, one of Finland’s largest meat processors, is majority-owned by producer cooperatives Itikka and Lihakunta. Ilkka Nykänen, CEO of the cooperatives, attributed Europe’s beef shortage partly to growing demand from Muslim-majority countries, where halal slaughter is preferred.

**”Some European countries have built a strong export strategy for beef, with the most expensive cuts going to Muslim countries that value halal slaughter,”** Nykänen said.

However, Finnish law does not permit the strictest form of halal slaughter, where animals are not stunned before killing. Nykänen questioned whether it would be beneficial for high-quality Finnish beef to be exported while domestic consumers rely on imported meat of uncertain origin.

Farmers call for change

Lauri Jaatinen, a cattle farmer in central Finland, reported receiving inquiries from foreign traders offering significantly higher prices than domestic slaughterhouses. He has explored beef prices in Turkey, where producers earn double what Finnish farmers do.

**”I don’t see why halal meat couldn’t be produced in Finland if the law allows it and animal welfare standards are met,”** Jaatinen said.

He warned that without action, Finland’s beef production could decline further as farmers lose patience with low prices. The recent increase in live cattle exports signals growing dissatisfaction among producers.