Shoppers ‘face meat price rises’

Meat prices are set to increase as farmers pass on the burden of surging costs, a report has suggested. With wheat prices rising, animal feed costs have almost doubled for farmers, the study by Deloitte found.

The group warned price rises were vital for an industry at “breaking point” after the recent foot-and-mouth scare and floods had taken their toll.

The warning comes days after consumers were told to prepare for rising bread prices as wheat costs hit records.

Bad weather in key grain growing areas such as Canada and parts of Europe has limited supplies as demand has risen, sparking fears of a grain shortfall.

Some of the rising demand has come from the biofuel industry, which uses the grain to produce ethanol for cars.