Strong market Returns Critical for Future of Sheep Sector

IFA Sheep Chair Adrian Gallagher said sheep processing factories have to stand a lot stronger in the marketplace to return higher prices to sheep farmers.

He said the sector lost a further 94,000 breeding ewes in the past year and we are now down at numbers not seen since 2014. 

Adrian Gallagher said throughput in factories dropped by over 370,000 head in 2024 and is currently back over 160,000 on last year, this level of decline in sector output has serious consequences for servicing high end customers for our sheep meat.

He said factories can and must do more on lamb, hogget and ewe prices, the current cuts are not acceptable and could do serious damage to the long-term viability of the sector, these must be reversed.

The IFA Sheep Chair said the trade in the UK for old season and new season lamb has improved over the past week with prices rising by almost 7 c/kg for hoggets and up to 37c/kg for lambs, prices in France remain strong and are well over €10/kg.

Adrian Gallagher said sheep factories here must start reflecting this reality in prices offered to sheep farmers and reverse the recent cuts they have implemented.

He said the sector is a critical stage and its long-term viability and sustainability is very much dependant on the willingness and capacity of factories to maximise returns to farmers.

Adrian Gallagher said Bord Bia also have a key role to play in ensuring our product based on the standards implemented on our farms differentiated for customers in the UK and EU markets to push back on the impact cheaper southern hemisphere imports is having in these markets.