ICSA: 'Grim outlook' for sector unless processors change approach
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association's (ICSA) sheep chair, Willie Shaw has slammed the treatment of sheep farmers by processors who continue to "slash" lamb prices, despite a drop in supply.
Shaw believes that sheep throughput in factories is lagging "well behind" previous years.
"Rather than supporting farmers and restoring the flagging confidence in the sector, processors have done the opposite and cut prices again. It’s daylight robbery," Shaw said.
According to the ICSA, sheep throughput figures up to the week ending July 5 show that factory intake is down by 200,000 head, compared to the same point last year. The ICSA claims that this follows an overall fall of 375,000 head in 2024.
Shaw said: "Ewe numbers are declining sharply as more farmers exit the sector because it simply isn’t financially viable to continue.
"Supplies are clearly tight, and this week alone throughput is down 8,455 head compared to the same week in 2024, yet prices have been slashed by up to 40c/kg.
"It’s nothing short of outrageous. Confidence is evaporating, and this kind of price cutting could well be the final nail in the coffin for many," Shaw added.
The ICSA also claimed that processors are paying on 21kg, which Shaw described as "daylight robbery".
He said: "It’s just another sneaky way of taking money out of farmers' pockets. I would urge all farmers to adhere to the weights as much as possible and not give factories any free lamb.
"If you go over the limit, they won’t pay for it - but they’ll still take it. And if factories think they can get lamb for free, they’ll take it all day long."
"To be honest, the outlook for the sector is grim unless processors change their approach. You could make more money doing almost anything else, for a fraction of the work and stress," the ICSA sheep chair added.
Shaw believes that when sheep farmers take weigh the hours of labour against the return, it doesn't add up.
"When processors continue to slash prices - even when supplies are scarce - and turn to importing carcases to fill gaps, it makes farmers feel like they don’t matter. That is also why fewer and fewer of the next generation see any kind of future in sheep farming," Shaw said.
