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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Agricultural output price index up 20.7% in the 12 months to May
In the 12 months to May of this year, the agricultural output price index rose by 20.7%. In the CSO's (Central Statistics Office) latest report, despite the rise over the past 12 months to May, compared to every month, the output price index dropped by 0.8% in the month since April. The most significant output price increases in the 12 months to May 2025 were in wool, milk and cattle. Wool has experienced an annual increase of 31.9%. However, this figure solely rides on the increase experienced from April to May of this year within the index. The wool output price index remained static at 106.3 for the last 11 months, only to jump to 140.2 in May 2025, contributing to an almost 32% increase. The IFA (Irish Farmers' Association) has said the sudden uptick occurring in May is the result of improved wool demand, with auction prices also up compared to previous months. These higher prices secured by farmers are only returning to them in recent months, in line with normal selling time and payment arrangements in place for some sellers. IFA Sheep Chair Adrian Gallagher said: 'The increase in wool prices is a welcome move in the right direction, but there is still a journey for wool prices to travel to cover the shearing costs and leave a margin for the farmer.' Sheep have also received a 7% drop in the output price index in the 12 months leading up to May of this year. Cattle saw an annual increase of 48% in the output price. Cattle excluding calves increased by 47.5% and calves secured an increase of 123.9% with the output price index sitting at 116.7 in May 2024 and 261.2 in May of this year. Milk has also seen an annual increase of 14.2% in the output price index despite experiencing a 0.8% drop when comparing April and May of this year. Potatoes have received the most significant drop in the output price index, with potatoes (including seeds) dropping by 15.1%. Amongst other crops, cereals (with seeds) experienced an annual drop of 0.2%, vegetables a drop of 1% and 'industrial and forage' an increase of 3.4%. The agricultural input price index rose slightly by 0.1% in the 12 months to May but dropped by 0.2% when compared monthly to April. Commenting on the release, Senior Statistician in the Agriculture Division, Sam Scriven, said: 'Within the Input Price Index, Fertilisers rose by 10.2% while Motor Fuels (-8.0%), and Feeding Stuffs (-2.3%) were lower than in May 2024." Breaking down the fertiliser index further, straight fertilisers experienced the largest annual increase in the input price index, with a jump of 14%. On an annual basis, NPK fertilisers rose by 9.8%, compound fertilisers rose by 9.4%, NP and PK fertilisers rose by 3.8% and 'other' fertilisers experienced an increase of 1%. Veterinary expenses also rose by 4.7% in the 12 months to May. Although the input price for veterinary expenses has risen in the last 12 months, the price index has remained stationary at 120.3 since January. Terms of Trade fell by 0.6% in May 2025 when compared with the previous month and were 20.6% higher when compared with May 2024.
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Dog ownership rules slammed as IFA demands national database to identify dogs who attack sheep
There are an estimated 800,000 dogs in the State, but just over 200,000 of them are registered, the Irish Farmers Association told the Joint Oireachtas committee on agriculture. Based on the latest figures published by the Department of Agriculture, it claimed in a detailed submission there could be 600,000 dogs unaccounted for and unregistered. 'The most startling aspect of these figures is that nobody really knows how many dogs are actually in the country. This is an issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency,' it said. IFA sheep committee chairman Adrian Gallagher told the committee that in 2023, only 1,858 on-the-spot fines were issued for breaches of the regulations, with a mere 631 (or 33%) actually paid. Reported livestock-worrying incidents rose to 276, a 3% increase on 2022, though many more go unreported. Reports of aggressive dog behaviour surged to 1,383, resulting in 442 injuries, yet only 311 cases were prosecuted, and 149 resulted in convictions. Stressing enforcement remains severely limited, with only 80 wardens on the ground countrywide, he said people who fail to keep their pets under control should be disqualified from dog ownership. Mr Gallagher said the escalating problem of dog attacks on livestock would not be solved unless there is a determined and focused approach from the authorities. Given the devastation caused by an increasing number of dog attacks on sheep, zero tolerance must be the policy. "The Animal Health and Welfare Act sanctions should be extended to irresponsible dog owners who allow their pets to cause this devastation on farms,' he said. Mr Gallagher said the decision to have the Department of Agriculture as the single enforcement authority was a move in the right direction, but it should have happened long before now. The critical issue was the absence of a proper database, he said, confirming the IFA would continue with its 'No Dogs Allowed' campaign until there were meaningful improvements to the enforcement process. Mr Gallagher, who was joined by IFA senior policy executive Tomás Bourke and policy executive James Walsh, said sheep farmers were affected by the irresponsible behaviour of some dog owners more than any other sector. Lack of enforcement of obligations on dog owners and low levels of sanctions in this area were allowing this behaviour to continue, with sheep farmers having their flocks savaged by dogs on an almost daily basis at this point. It is not acceptable to farmers, who provide full traceability for the seven million cattle and almost three million breeding sheep under our care from birth, where every animal is individually tagged and traceable to the person responsible for them, that a similar system is not in place for dog owners. "Equally there are very severe sanctions for farmers when in breach of animal welfare obligations, but the sanctions imposed on dog owners do not reflect the seriousness of the damage these dog owners allow their pets to inflict on our animals. The IFA has consistently called for appropriate sanctions and the development of a single national database identifying dogs and their owners/person responsible for the dog. 'The critical issue in the first instance is to have all dogs in the country microchipped, registered to the owner and licensed in order to establish a national database for all dogs and their owners. 'This all comes back to enforcement, boots on the ground and appropriate sanctions for non-compliance,' he said.
RTÉ News
24-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Plans afoot to create Irish wool brand mark
Although it has been an iconic feature of Ireland's craft heritage, Irish-grown wool has now been a loss maker for farmers for many years. Stakeholders across the island are working collaboratively to establish an Irish wool brand mark to create additional value for the product across the industry. "The wool price has been low for nearly a generation. I believe the plans are a step in the right direction," said Chair of the IFA National Sheep Committee Adrian Gallagher. The voluntary effort of the Irish Grown Wool Council involves representatives from farming organisations, sheep shearers, wool merchants and exporters, textile companies and academic experts. President of the Wool Council, barrister and farmer, Brian McInerney said the IGWC has proven a wool traceability study meaning that "it will become possible to trace wool back to an individual farm". Alongside this development, the Wool Council intends to roll out an Irish-grown wool brand mark which can be licensed for use by manufacturers and retailers of wool products. "The use of that brand mark will establish that the product in question contains a minimum percentage of Irish-grown wool. "It presents a clear message to the purchaser/consumer that the product does indeed contain a minimum content of Irish-grown wool. "The core objective is to raise the price of wool at the farm gate and to add value to the chain. Presentation of the fleece at the farm gate is the starting point," said Mr McInerney. The Wool Council was founded two years ago following a Department of Agriculture review of the market opportunities for Irish-grown wool products. Last winter, the Department of Agriculture distributed a guide on maximising wool value along with sheep census forms to farming households. The 'Shear Success' guide produced by the Wool Council in partnership with Teagasc was delivered to almost 50,000 sheep farmers. Social media videos were also produced. Mr Gallagher who is also a member of the Wool Council described the response to the shearing guides as "positive". Mr Gallagher said fellow farming organisations across Europe have presented "similar correspondence" about low wool prices across the continent. "The wool price has been low for nearly a generation, unfortunately; maybe €0.10 a kg for a horn wool or hill wool, up to maybe €0.20 a kg for lowland wool. "The values collapsed about 2014, and the Chinese market never really recovered. There have been green shoots over the past 18 months, but they haven't matured. Mr Gallagher said because the value of wool has been very low in the last ten years that "farmers have devalued it too". "Unless we as farmers add value to it, then it's very hard to expect the merchants to add value to it." Mr Gallagher said it was important to educate and train young farmers on best practice in terms of presenting sheep fleeces to add value to the product. The Wool Council is seeking to support the industry on a regional basis while feeding a national marketing and sales operation. Regional collaboration in the north west Leading companies in the north west's textile industry said that much of the competition facing Irish wool is not wool from other countries but "synthetics and petrochemical-based products". Recently, Magee Weaving and Donegal Yarns, who supply yarns for the textile industry, met with Marley Wools, a merchant in Cloghan, Ballybofey, to discuss collaboration in the sector. The wool merchant, located in the heartland of Donegal, sorts and grades wool from the north west and from along the border region for its next uses in the commercial wool chain. General Manager of Donegal Yarns Chris Weiniger said that the company has been looking at the options available for Irish-grown wool. "Irish wool on its own is ideal for certainly upholstery fabrics and in the carpet industry because it is a good strong and stable fibre." "The carpet industry is an ideal market, but it's having to be a premium because the competition with synthetic fibres is a challenge in all the various markets. "What we've been doing is establishing a specific blend, getting the finest wool that we can achieve in Ireland, and blending that to make it into a wearable product for the apparel." Mr Weinger said they have successfully developed small capsule collections within bigger collections in offerings to the consumer. "We're trying to identify and create Irish wool as a brand. It's going to be a slow process because we are competing in a global market." He said the mill in Cill Chartha is processing 10,000 -12,000kg of Irish wool annually - an amount that has increased significantly over the past ten years. CEO of Magee Weaving Patrick Temple, a fifth-generation family business in Donegal, said that wool remains the key fibre used in its mill. "We are in the process of developing upholstery, throws and other apparel garments with Irish wool. Irish wool is well suited to carpets, but we're not carpet weavers. "Wool is the key fibre with which we weave. It's our objective to use far more Irish wool." Mr Temple said: "It would be wonderful if the wool metrics are integrated into the sheep welfare schemes run by the Department of Agriculture." "I think it encompasses and creates focus around wool as a product. Wool is a key welfare element for the sheep. It also has health benefits as a natural, renewable and biodegradable product. Mr Temple echoed Mr Weiniger's remarks that man-made fibres are the biggest challenge to wool globally. "A greater use of wool creates a positive circular economy - in general, a rising tide, floats all ships." Wool used in textiles is assessed using a micron value: a measurement that indicates the thickness of a wool fibre. The lower the micron value, the finer and softer the wool. Generally, wool needs a micron value of 28 or less for textile use. The finest of the Irish Grown Wool currently comes from Bluefaced Leicester sheep, it typically measures 26-28 microns. Most Lowland and Crossbred wool is in the low to mid-30 microns while mountain/hill type wool often ranges from 36-38 microns fibre diameter and above. Irish Grown Wool is mostly classified as "strong wool," and as such, has traditionally been more suited to carpets, filled products and rugs. It is estimated that there are about 3.6 million sheep on the island of Ireland: creating about 7,000 tonnes of wool per year. This calculation is based on an average fleece weight of 2kg and the ROI 2020 Sheep Census and the 2021 DAERA Sheep Census. Is a national wool wash plant sustainable? There is no national wool washing plant or scouring facility in Ireland. Scouring is a key stage in wool processing where contaminants are removed, making wool suitable for textile use. Irish-grown wool is generally bought and traded with buyers in the UK for scouring in Bradford and onward sale in manufacturing strongholds globally. The Programme for Government has committed to examining the feasibility of a scouring plant for wool in developing an Irish wool brand. Two research projects are currently underway involving wool scouring; one project is examining the feasibility of a mobile wool scouring unit, and another EPA funded project is examining the economics of wool production. A Department of Agriculture spokesperson said the outcomes from both projects will inform the examination of the feasibility of a scouring plant. Mr Gallagher does not believe the plans for a national scouring/wash plant "will materialize into fruition". "They're down now to two wash plants in the UK. They're just about viable between the Irish flock and the UK flock." Mr Gallagher believes the (UK scouring plants) can continue to wash Irish wool separately from their own wool, as has happened previously to produce Irish-based products. "Our objective there is to try and market Irish wool globally as a product so that people know if they're buying 100% Irish wool or 40% Irish wool if it's mixed. "The fact that people are volunteering their time and efforts on the industry as part of the Irish Grown Wool Council is a step in the right direction."
Agriland
11-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Current price cuts are ‘not acceptable' to sheep farmers
The Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA) sheep chair, Adrian Gallagher has said that sheep processing factories have to 'stand a lot stronger' in the marketplace to return higher prices to sheep farmers. According to Gallagher, the sector lost a 94,000 breeding ewes in the past year, and are now at numbers 'not seen' since 2014. He claims that throughput in factories dropped by over 370,000 head in 2024 and is currently back over 160,000 on last year. Gallagher believes this level of decline in sector output has 'serious consequences' for servicing high end customers for sheep meet. '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,' Gallagher said. The IFA sheep chair has said that trade in the UK for old season and new season lamb has improved over the past week (June 2025). He outlined that prices have risen by almost 7c/Kg for hoggets, and up to 37c/Kg for lambs. The prices in France remain strong, and are 'well over' €10/Kg. Gallagher said: 'Sheep factories here must start reflecting this reality in prices offered to sheep farmers and reverse the recent cuts they have implemented. 'The sector is a critical stage and its long-term viability and sustainability is very much dependent on the willingness and capacity of factories to maximise returns to farmers. 'Bord Bia also (has) 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,' Gallagher added. Sheep prices This week's (June 9) sheep trade has seen offers for spring lambs fall below €9.00/kg at all the key sheep factories. Up to 20c/kg has been cut from spring lamb prices, and many of the processors are less interested in hoggets as markets have now moved on to this year's lambs. Procurement staff have told Agriland that there are 'reasonably good numbers of spring lambs' coming available and these lambs are generally all arriving well finished with good carcasses. This week, Kepak is quoting €8.65/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.80/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This offer is down 20c/kg since last week.
Irish Independent
29-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Factory cuts questioned as numbers continue to drop off
Kildare Chilling and Dawn Ballyhaunis appear to be taking it in turn to quote from week to week; Dawn return on €9.00+10c/kg QA for springs and €5.40-5.60/kg for culls. They did not quote for hogget. The factories say the trade has flatlined since Easter, with Ramadan before that not as vigorous as other years. By contrast, IFA sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said last week that while 'Easter and Ramadan did drive strong prices, tighter supplies on the ground should keep prices strong for farmers. 'The recent move by factories to cut prices is at odds with the market conditions. Throughput has continued to drop off with numbers well back from this time last year, and a further drop expected.' Department of Agriculture figures show that factory slaughterings in the week running up to Easter Sunday (April 20) totalled 45,341 – this was up 10,811 on the same week last year but back 13,702 on Easter week for 2024. The total kill for the year is back 18pc or 148,769 on the same period last year at 656,669. Imports from the North for direct slaughter in the Republic fell by around to 10,000 during March to just over 30,000; the Livestock and Meat Commission put number of sheep exported for slaughter to the Republic for the year to mid-April at 86,618. Meanwhile trade in the UK continues to fall further behind the market here, with deadweight lamb prices averaging €8.25/kg there for the week ending April 19. As to what is being paid on ground here, ICSA sheep chair Willie Shaw said spring lambs in general are still being bought at €9.20/kg, while bigger operators and groups were struggling into a top of €9.40/kg. He said hoggets are mostly making around €8.65/kg, with the very top at €8.90/kg, again for those with bigger numbers, while culls continue to range from €5.50-5.65/kg. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Marts reported smaller numbers last week, with prices softening on the back of reduced factory prices and a wet and cold week: returns in some areas were back €30-40/hd across all sections when compared to pre-Easter. However, Ennis mart manager Martin McNamara was upbeat about yesterday's sale, describing it as 'better than expected', with spring lambs averaging €4.35/kg. George Candler, though, described the trade in Kilkenny yesterday as 'very disappointing, especially for spring lambs, with a difference of €10-20/hd on last year's returns. 'Current prices would not offer a lot of encouragement for those who would be interested in expanding their numbers.' What many in the business cannot get their head around is that while beef is making up to €8.20/kg, sheep are struggling in a market where numbers have all but collapsed. In Kilkenny, butcher's hoggets peaked at €210/hd for 68kgs, although better types at 58-59kg made €2.06-207/hd, with eleven at 52kg selling for €196/hd or €3.77/kg. On the spring lamb side, the top call was the €218/hd or €3.96/kg paid for ten 55kgs. 44-45kgs sold for €187-188/hd or €4.07-4.18/kg, while 43-44kgs made €186-87/hd or €4.25-4.33/kg. The top call among the factory hoggets was the €180/hd for 47kgs, with 45-46kgs making €170-178/hd and 42-43kgs at €170-173/hd. Cast ewes sold for €110-320/hd. Around the marts Ennis mart Trade was 'better than expected' at yesterday's sale of 510 sheep, according to Martin McNamara Spring lambs averaged €4.35/kg, with a batch of 52.5kgs making €237/kg and 43.5kgs reaching €212/hd. Hoggets averaged €3.45/kg to a top of €3.95/kg. Ten 46kgs sold for €182/hd. Cull ewes averaged €2.59/kg, with heavy ewes selling to €3/kg. Ewes with singles at foot sold to €370/hd, while those with doubles made up to €415/family. Enniscorthy mart Kevin Murphy attributed last week's smaller numbers to falling factory quotes, and spring lambs prices were down here: 40-44kgs generally made €186-198/hd. Seven 101kg cull ewes made €275/hd and 90kgs sell to €272/hd, but even these prices were back €30-40/hd on three weeks ago. 70-72kgs sold from €168-172/hd with 77kgs making €202/hd. 'Poor factory pricing is encouraging farmers to keep sheep on hand' Kevin said. Ballinrobe mart Numbers were reduced on Thursday, with prices also softening. Hoggets ranged from €162-202/hd or €3.36-4.25/kg, averaging €3.57/kg. Cull ewes made up the bulk of the sheep on offer, making €90-296/hd (€1.91-3.30/kg) and averaging €191/hd or €2.75/kg. Ewes with lambs at foot sold from €200/unit to €340/unit for one with twins at foot. Fermoy mart Numbers here were down to 260 last Monday. Spring lambs sold for €190-210/hd. Sean Leahy reported trade for hogget as being 'sticky enough', with 52-53kgs making around €200/hd and better quality at around €220/hd. Numbers of cull ewes were strong with their trade no less so: 100kg types generally made €300/hd, with the top at €306/hd. Lighter culls from 70-80kg made €255-260/hd, but 85kg Texels sold for €280-285/hd.
