Continued dispute over lamb prices
Round-the- clock protests by farmers in relation to falling prices were staged outside meat plants for a week recently.
The protests were lifted after the farmers reached agreement with individual factories around the country. But the sheep producers have now accused the factories of still being “hell bent” on collapsing spring lamb prices.
However, the factories insist the returns from the French market, which sets the overall tone of the trade, are under serious pressure and that they can only pay a price that reflects market reality.
Lamb-producer groups were meeting in Dublin last night to discuss the latest developments
as individual farmers accused the processors of inflicting serious financial damage on early lamb suppliers.
IFA sheep committee chairman Laurence Fallon said the price return from France and Britain is 70c/kg or 14 per lamb above some of the factory quotes to farmers.
“With decoupling, farmers now have the option to produce or not. By collapsing lamb prices, the factories will destroy their own business and force more farmers to exit the sheep sector,” he said.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII), representing processors, said it is very concerned at the difficult conditions facing the lamb trade. The short-term threat to returns is coming from a continuing strong supply of competitively priced British hoggets, the increasing presence of French Lacune lambs on the market and the arrival shortly of Spanish lamb.
It is also coming from a lack of retailer promotional activity and reports major volumes of New Zealand lamb legs are destined for the market.
