ICSA Sheep chair Willie Shaw has once again criticised meat processors for continuing to pull sheep prices. "For yet another week, factories are making indefensible cuts to base prices for lamb. We know the demand for our product is out there, despite what the factories claim. Throughput so far this year is down and is expected to remain down for the rest of the year. Combined with lower production levels throughout the EU, this tells us that these week-on-week price cuts are completely unjustified and are nothing more than cynical power moves by the processors to bring prices down," he said.

"We are receiving reports from our members that quotes have dropped by as much as 50-60c/kg this week. This amounts to more than €40/hd over the last few weeks. At yesterday's National Fodder and Feed Security (NFFSC) meeting, there was a call put out to the industry's major players to support farmers as input costs remain high and cash flow on farms is becoming a real issue. What we need now is for meat processors to heed that advice and start treating their suppliers more fairly – not try to put us out of business at every opportunity."

Mr Shaw also said that Irish sheep farmers are continuing to receive a raw deal compared to their European counterparts. "Latest figures from Bord Bia show that prices here are lower than in Great Britain, Spain, and particularly France, where prices are €1.30/kg higher than what Irish farmers are getting. This price disparity is totally unjustified."