21 MAY 2019

ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara has called on meat processors to stop giving preference to lambs from the north and elsewhere at the expense of Irish lambs. “It’s disgraceful to see Irish lambs being turned away because lairages are full of imported lambs. They have lambs available on their doorsteps, yet preference is being given to truckloads of foreign lambs every day of the week,” he said.

“At present, ICSA has reason to believe up to 40% of the current sheep kill is made up of foreign lambs. While we accept that a certain amount of imported lamb is required to meet export demands, the numbers coming in now are only serving to keep the prices paid to Irish farmers at rock bottom. It’s a shameful tactic and a shocking way to treat a sector that operates on such slim margins. With the price for spring lamb crashing below €5.50/kg, sheep farmers are facing enormous difficulties.”

ICSA intends to keep up the pressure to have these cuts reversed and officials from the association will be meeting with several processors in the coming days.

ENDS