I have been contacted by many lamb producers who have experienced a dramatic drop in the price of lamb at factories.
Prices have dropped from €7.10/kilo to €5.50 per kilo. This represents a drop of approximately €32 per lamb.
‘This drop is causing serious hardship to sheep farmers on foot of the serious weather issues which have prevailed for the last 9 months’
‘I am calling on the factories to pay a fair price for lamb. I understand that the supply of lamb is good but demand is strong. There is a suspicion that the price is in order to enhance the factories balance sheet’
‘Farmers have tolerated the price fluctuations over the years but their patience is wearing thin at the moment.
‘I am calling on the Minister for Agriculture to intervene to ensure that a fair price is paid for spring lambs’
‘I am also advising farmers to hold tight and only market lamb when they are fully fit as there are severe price sanctions being imposed by the factories on underweight lambs’ concluded Deputy Canney.