Calls for more transparency on sheep imports

Farm organisations are calling on the Department of Agriculture and Food to publish information regarding the number of sheep imported from Northern Ireland and Britain on a weekly basis.

This follows farmer concerns that there are currently higher numbers of sheep being imported from Britain and being used to keep pressure on prices paid to local suppliers.

These imports are causing huge disruption for local farmers

IFA sheep chair Sean Dennehy said: “Some factories are up to skulduggery and using lamb imports to put pressure on local suppliers. Factories should be looking after their local suppliers and not be importing lambs form Britain. We [the IFA] have written to Minister Creed demanding that there needs to be more transparency around numbers and their origin on a weekly basis.”

ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara said: “These imports are causing huge disruption for local farmers who can’t even get quotes for lambs while they see truckloads of lambs arriving on UK-registered lorries. It’s a disgrace and the Department of Agriculture must publish the number of lambs imported from the North and Britain.”

Figures published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs show the number of sheep imported from Northern Ireland up to the week ending 20 June running at 156,571 head. This is just 7,291 head above the corresponding period in 2019.

UK farmers are worried about an influx of sheep imports from Australia

It is the lack of transparency, including potentially higher imports from Britain, that is causing the most concern.

Meanwhile, UK farmers are worried about an influx of sheep imports from Australia and the UK with the UK government expecting trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand to include increased sheepmeat imports, as well as bovine meat.

The government document stated “In the long run, New Zealand producers may be able to supply UK retailers […] at lower cost relative to domestic producers.”