Sheep farmers dealt a ‘crippling blow'
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has said that sheep farmers have been dealt 'another crippling blow' this week as factories have cut prices for hoggets, 'slashing a further 50c/kg off the price'.
ICSA Sheep chair Willie Shaw said: 'This equates to a drop of over €11 on a typical 23kg carcass – but that is not the full story.
'Compared to this time last year, prices are down by €2/kg and the carcass weight paid has dropped from 24.5kg to 23kg.
'That means farmers are currently receiving just €172.50/hd (23kg x €7.50/kg), compared to €232.75 (24.5kg x €9.50/kg) last year, which is a staggering difference of over €60/hd.
'This kind of wipe-out is nothing short of disastrous. Sheep farmers cannot continue to absorb these kinds of losses while input costs have soared across the board,' he added.
The farm organisation has stressed that it is no longer a case of tightening the belt for farmers, but at this stage is a case of not being able to survive, claiming that there is simply no margin left.
Shaw said what is making matters worse is that processors are continuing to ramp up imports, compounding the pressure on local producers.
'Based on CSO [Central Statistics Office] figures for January and February of this year, we are looking at total imports rising to over 10,200t for 2025 – that is 600t more than last year, with the bulk of that increase coming in carcass form,' the Sheep chair said.
'It's clear that processors are using carcass imports to make up for shortfalls caused by restrictions on live imports, and in doing so, are keeping a lid on prices and undermining Irish suppliers.
'We need full transparency across the food chain now more than ever, as it is the only way to give farmers a fighting chance.
'We must ensure that the Agri-Food Regulator has all the necessary powers to compel cooperation from processors and retailers and to strip away the smoke and mirrors that allow the big players to hide their margins and spin their import strategies,' he stressed.
The ICSA has said that the lack of both price certainty and transparency is 'killing confidence' in the sector.
It added that the sheep sector is already struggling to attract a younger generation, and ongoing unfairness in pricing is 'just another nail in the coffin'.
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