Farmers and meat factories divided over low sheep price

IFA sheep chairman John Lynskey has urged factories to adopt a more responsible, longer term approach to ensure the continued supply of quality assured Irish lamb out of season.

A meeting between the IFA and Meat Industry Ireland (MII), and representatives of the main sheepmeat processors, has failed to quell rising frustration among hogget finishers over the prices on offer from the meat plants.

The IFA said farmers are making losses due to the low factory prices, while MII said processors are currently faced with a very challenging marketplace and cannot raise their prices.