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Factories must be required to verify they are not importing live lambs from the UK if they wish to access aid to private storage (APS) supports from the European Commission, ICSA sheep chair Seán McNamara has said.
“It is illogical that processors availing of APS to store excess product could then get away with importing product to meet a demand they claim is not there.
“Factories clearly need to give an explanation as to why these imports are continuing and be held accountable,” he said.
Fed up
McNamara said that farmers are “fed up with this tactic of bringing in lambs to control prices” paid to local farmers.
“It is a cynical practice at the best of times, but it cannot be tolerated if done in conjunction with APS.
“[The] ICSA will not stand for processors claiming handouts in bad faith as the rest of us struggle to keep our heads above water,” he said.
Aid scheme
Two weeks ago, the Irish Farmers Journal revealed that the Commission is to provide €20m to cover the whole of the EU to put 36,000t of lamb into private storage for a maximum of 150 days.
The aid will be available for fresh or chilled carcases and half carcases of lamb aged less than 12 months.
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