2 JULY 2021
ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara has said processors are slashing sheep prices purely to frighten farmers into selling. “Factories are trying to generate panic in the trade with consecutive and dramatic price cuts, but the reality is supplies are tight at the moment. Factory fit lambs are scarce on the ground, so sheep farmers are actually in a strong position to resist these scare tactics and fight for a decent price.”
“With the Eid al-Adha festival coming up from 19 – 23 July the demand for lamb is out there – as it traditionally is for Eid. Yet prices have been slashed by €40/hd in the last three weeks. It makes no sense, particularly when we know that major processors still importing large volumes of lamb carcasses from the UK on a weekly basis. Our advice to farmers is to sell as hard as possible, and to walk away if factories refuse to step up to the €6.50/kg mark at the very minimum.”
ENDS