Ian Smith gives an update on mart sales.
What a difference a year makes. When I wrote this column last year, Covid-19 had just started and the weather was settled and made for an easy lambing time.
Since then, Covid-19 has wreaked havoc worldwide, we endured one of the hardest winters for years and spring never seemed to have sprung.
Looking at the situation now, stock prices have been buoyant in all sectors. Hoggs were a tremendous trade right through the season and the ‘dreaded' Brexit came and went and livestock prices did not suffer at all, if anything the opposite.
New season lamb trade has followed on and prices well over £3.00/kg are the norm. Long may this continue as producers are now seeing nice returns for their sheep.
Just the other Monday here in Otley, we sold lambs over the magical £200/head, in fact they sold for £203/head. Topping the p/kg was 456p/kg with an overall average of 350p/kg.
With reports of lambs already been cashed down country, hopefully prices shall remain buoyant.
As we approach summer, thoughts begin to turn to our autumn sheep sales. With the good returns of hoggs and now lambs, people are wondering how much store lambs are going to be, how many gimmer lambs will be slaughtered and how much are breeding sheep going to be.
All questions that shall soon be answered. Hopefully trade for all classes will be on the up as the production costs and expenses have risen dramatically.
As British farmers, we take pride in our work and our products - they are second to none and we feel this should be appreciated and supported by the consumer as well as the Government.
Thoughts should go back to just over 14 months ago when the public were panic buying and supermarket shelves were empty due to Covid-19.
British Farmers again saved the day supplying stock and food and ensuring the country was fed.
Scheme
Discussions are now underway on plans of a retirement scheme for older farmers to take. The suggestion is that a one-off payment will be made when those older farmers cease farming.
The figures that I have seen though go nowhere near the price it would cost for the retiring farmers to purchase a house for themselves and their family. We shall have to wait and see what becomes of the scheme.
With the Basic Payment Scheme now phasing out payments, we seem to be moving to a ‘greener' outlook with tree planting, re-wilding and so on. However, the population is ever growing and they will need to be fed.
It does worry me that British farmers are encouraged to scale down, but if they do where will food come from? Cheap imports?
The public must back British farming to keep our industry alive.
Ian Smith
Ian Smith is auctioneer at Wharfedale Farmers Auction. Call 07738 043771 or email [email protected]
