THE NFU is urging farmers to report slaughterhouses paying unfair prices for animals, after accusations of profiteering on the back of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

According to the National Beef Association, the big English slaughterhouses have mystified the industry by trying to pay less for prime animals when supplies are acutely short.

This week prices fell to just £1.60 a kilo deadweight for standard quality cattle, but medium-range English plants and buyers in Scotland serving the independent retail sector are paying about £75 a head more for 300kg carcases.

NBA chief executive, Mr Robert Forster, said: "The decision of the big English plants to try to secure cattle for 20p-30p/kg less than the going rate is even more surprising because the supermarkets had already indicated their willingness to lift retail prices."

The NBA advises finishers to use staff at a nearby mart to broker a better deal if they can not get more than £1.80/kg.

Mr John Thorley of the National Sheep Association has written to the Agriculture Minister, Mr Nick Brown, reporting lamb prices down 65p/kg deadweight, to just £2, and claiming that lamb due to be sold through supermarkets before the outbreak is being returned to plants for repackaging and re-pricing. He also says wholesalers are paying only 90p/kg for UK pork against £1.90 for imported supplies.

Asda and Tesco report that, despite paying more for British meat supplies, they are not yet passing on the increases, but price guarantees are not so easy for independent butchers.

Mr Charles Jackson, president of Darlington and district butchers' association, said: "Prices have gone up £1 a pound on average around the town. Local butchers have to raise prices or they would never make a profit.

"It is the supermarkets that are killing the farmers. Farmers are contracted to deliver at a certain price, but supermarkets dictate the price."

But Northallerton butchers' association president, Mr Duncan Haigh, was optimistic, saying: "In some places the bubble will burst this weekend, with prices starting to fall. Panic buying last week means less demand this weekend."

Mr Rob Simpson, NFU regional information officer, said there did appear to be profiteering but it was difficult to know by whom. "Abattoirs say they have higher costs and an increased risk of picking up the disease. Supermarkets say they are paying the same prices as before," he said.

"Farmers who do not need to sell stock immediately should just not sell. As more animals come into the food chain, the situation will settle."

Farmers who feel they are suffering from unfair trading practices should write to the NFU regional office at York or telephone 01904 451550.

Even before a case was announced in Wensleydale, Mr Stuart Pudney, head of North Yorkshire trading standards, was concerned about allowing the movement of animals to abattoirs in unaffected areas.

Trading standards officers can issue licences for animal movements directly to slaughterhouses, if strict requirements are met.

North Yorkshire County Council set up an emergency call centre on Saturday, with a hotline number 01609 532765 open from 7am to 9pm daily. All callers should dial the STD code, even from within North-allerton, for speedy contact.

More than 600 inquiries were dealt with on Monday, and by Tuesday almost 400 movement licences had been issued.

Farmers have been told to book an abattoir slot before seeking a licence, to ensure slaughterhouses can cope with demand and to avoid lorry queues, which could increase the cross-contamination risk.

Mr Pudney warned that a tough line would be taken with farmers trying to bypass the system by falsely claiming to have abattoir bookings.

He also expressed serious concern about allowing animals to move through infected areas into North Yorkshire after the council's efforts to keep the county free of foot and mouth disease. "In my view it is a great shame the minister did not wait just a few more days before relaxing movement regulations or, alternatively, allowing only local movements," he said.

If callers have the necessary information ready and can fulfil standard requirements, the special call centre can issue licences by fax. Farmers without fax machines can collect documentats from a local point, probably a council library.

Inquiries unrelated to licences should be made to the MAFF foot and mouth helpline on 0845 0504141.

A Barnard Castle butcher was among the first to replenish his stocks this week after gaining a special moving order from Durham County Council.

William Peat butchers, in Galgate, got the go-ahead to take lambs and pigs to Jewitt's abattoir in Spennymoor on Monday night. The first delivery was taken to Spennymoor at 6am on Tuesday and lamb was back on sale in the shop that afternoon.

Mr Roger Peat told the D&S Times: "We are lucky because we have our own farm so we were able to take lambs and pigs straight to the abattoir once we got the moving order.

"At least the butchers have something to sell. It's the farmers we feel sorry for; not being able to move anything.