Ireland: Deepening crisis in sheep sector requires urgent action

He said prices this year are still 70c/kg behind last year with input costs on sheep farms showing no signs of reducing. "Last year’s margins of just €7/ewe as presented by Teagasc at the national IFA Sheep meeting in Athlone at the end of January clearly highlighted the extent of the problems on farms in 2022. With prices running almost €16/lamb behind last year’s levels, sheep farmers are facing into a critical situation if urgent action is not taken by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue", he said. Kevin Comiskey said the Minister convened the Food Vision Sheep Group over a month ago to put forward proposals to address the crisis in the sector. "The sector is in crisis. Sheep farmers need immediate direct supports to offset the enormous input cost increases experienced on farms and the unviable prices returned from the market place". Sheep farmers supports must be built to €30/ewe to sustain this low-income vulnerable sector that contributed over €475m in export ...