Recent cuts to hogget prices by factories coming up to peak demand have been strongly criticised by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).

IFA sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said price reductions to between €8.80/kg and €9.00/kg to weights of 23kg is unacceptable.

He added that this cannot be absorbed by sheep farmers, who have invested in having hoggets available for factories to service key customers at a critical time of the year.

“We are approaching the peak demand period over the coming weeks with the end of Ramadan, followed by the Eid al-Fitr [Islamic] festival and Easter Sunday coming on 20 April, when factories will have no choice but to secure hoggets to service important customers,” he said.

Supplies are back

The IFA sheep chair highlighted that supplies are back significantly year on year.

Numbers at export plants last week were 47,902, compared with 61,248 in the same week last year. Sheep throughput to date in 2025 is down 21% compared with 2024 at 399,187.

Farmers should not be misled by unfounded negativity from factories and their agents on sheep markets, Gallagher added.

“Demand over the coming weeks will exceed supply and factories must reflect this in the prices and weights offered for hoggets,” he said.