Sell your livestock in your local mart where payment is secure. That’s the message to livestock farmers from IFA National Livestock Committee chair Henry Burns.

In a statement in support of marts, Burns said marts are vital to the livestock trade. He said they are essential for security of payment and provide open competitive price competition. For finished stock being sold directly to the factory, he said farmers should insist on payment on the day.

The IFA Livestock leader said some farmers have encountered problems in terms of delays or not getting paid at all for their stock by selling outside of the mart system. He said the live export trade is also very important to the livestock sector: “Live exports are essential for price competition and also to keeping a balance in the supply/demand situation.”

To date this year live exports are running at 134,000 head, well back on last year. Burns said hopefully there will be a pick up in the live trade for the autumn and he also added that Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and the Department need to open access to Turkey for live animals.

Read more from the Mart Price Focus here.