Madam, - As a sheep farmer and producer of early lamb, I was interested in the article by your Agricultural Correspondent, Sean MacConnell, (April 19th).
He stated that farmers were being offered up to €5.18 per kg for spring lambs. I took 22 good grade lambs to my local factory, Irish Country Meats, Navan, on Thursday, April 17th. They averaged €91.55 (including VAT) viz, €4.98 per kg, average weight 18.6 kg. I purchased a 6lb leg of spring lamb from the factory and paid €20, which I considered reasonable value.
Last Monday, I met a Dublin friend who informed me that she had purchased a 6lb leg of spring lamb from Superquinn in Blackrock for €45 - half the price I received for a whole lamb, which took 15 to 16 weeks to produce.
This morning I bought 2 litres of Avonmore milk for €1.96; last week I paid €1.88 in the same shop. This same week Avonmore/Glanbia reduced the price of milk to the farmer by 56c per litre.
It is obvious that farmers and the consumer are being ripped off by the retail trade whose profit margins are obscene when compared with what the farmer/producer receives for working, in many cases, a 24-hour, seven-day week. - Yours, etc.,
CHARLEY ANGEL, Newtown Prospect, Co Kildare.