EU sheep meat decline may lift prices

A PREDICTED continued decline in sheep meat supplies across the European Union should help to underpin prices in the future, Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said yesterday.

During a visit to Teagasc Athenry, where the national sheep research centre is based, she said supplies so far this year were at 82% of last year’s level while prices were up 5% on average for the same period.

“While the sheep meat market in 2006 was relatively steady, we did witness a decrease in production reflecting a reduction in the breeding flock following on from the decoupling of premia from production in 2005.”

Ms Coughlan added that she expected to receive in the near future the final report of the special group she had set up to oversee the implementation of the Sheep Industry Strategy Group recommendations to develop the sector.

These address issues such as price structure, breeding, research and advice, and promotion and quality assurance.

“I am in the process of ensuring that, where appropriate, the necessary public funding and resources will be put in place to support the various measures under these headings,” she said.

Meanwhile, ICSA Sheep Committee chairman Mervyn Sunderland said the declining sheep numbers should be a priority for the Department of Agriculture and Food.

“Every time I go to the factory these days, I see female sheep lined up for the kill. We are eating our breeding stock, and this is contributing to the declining numbers.”