The continual drop in lamb prices is to be the main topic discussed at an Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) public meeting to be held next week.

The meeting will be held in the Radisson Blu in Athlone, Co Westmeath, at 8pm on Monday 23 January.

Teagasc will give an update on the latest evaluated costs of production for sheep enterprises, while a lamb market outlook for 2023 will be delivered by both Bord Bia and Irish Country Meats (ICM).

The IFA has said that sheep farmers are facing into a challenging period, as low factory prices further squeeze margins left tight by high input costs.

Its president Tim Cullinan stated that factories’ downwards price pressure is not acceptable and he called for a stop to the lowering of processor quotes.

Input costs

“Input costs on sheep farms has increased in the past 12 months by over 40% and sheep farmers do not have the capacity to absorb this increase, which has eroded the income levels in an extremely vulnerable sector,” Cullinan said ahead of the meeting.

Cullinan also claimed that Teagasc has forecast that margins from sheep will drop even further into 2023 and that current prices do not cover the input cost rise.

He said the outlook for 2023 will see another 10% added to the price of feed and high fertiliser prices being maintained.

The IFA stated that the French lamb market is consistently offering price in excess of €8/kg.

Weight cuts

The farm group’s sheep chair Kevin Comiskey warned that sheep price cuts are being accompanied by weight reductions on lambs.

Comiskey maintains the move is sending a negative message to lamb finishers, also accusing Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue of failing to provide sufficient direct sheep farmers supports as adding to the financial pressures posed by low prices.

“There is real concern within the sector for the spring trade and action needs to be taken immediately to support farmers to maintain a year-round supply of lamb,” commented the chair.