Farmers urged to use local markets

Local mart bosses are backing calls from the Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA) for farmers to make more use of their local livestock markets as a result of the Welsh Country Foods plant ceasing operations in Anglesey.

Chris Dodds, executive secretary of the LAA, said the closure would affect sheep producers throughout the region but there were alternatives in the form of local markets which “provide a flexible and transparent system in which to sell stock and an opportunity for producers to contribute towards creating a fair and competitive price for their sheep”.

Jeremy Eaton, general manager of Craven Cattle Marts (CCM) in Skipton, commented: “Welsh Country Foods were significant buyers of hill lambs in the north of England and the absence of such a large processor from livestock markets will leave a gap that will take some replacing. However, in the north of England we are fortunate in that we have a good blend of high throughput beef and sheep abattoirs, complemented by a very strong livestock market sector, which gives farmers lots of choice and transparency.”

Ted Ogden, CCM auctioneer, added: “We have two ways sheep can be sold, liveweight or deadweight. The share of sheep sold by the two systems has increased through the live market. More and more people are returning to the real time live auctions. Part of it is the trade price which has, over the course of the last five to eight years, got higher than historically.”

He said local market sites had grown in size as they were gradually relocated out of town, in many cases allowing for additional facilities and making them one-stop shops for farmers. The CCM site has feed, clothing and machinery suppliers and a veterinary centre. There is also great social value in local markets, he said. “A lot of farmers now haven’t got the staff on the farm they had 20 years ago so they’re coming to the market as the social point of their week.”

He said the recent bad weather had affected when farmers sold their stock. For some sheep farmers the high cost of additional feed while their flocks were kept indoors saw them sell stock earlier rather than later. Despite the conditions, the market was seeing between 3,000 and 4,000 prime sheep at auction each week. There had also been a noticeable impact as a result of the horsemeat scandal, he said.

“On the beef front it has helped drive prices up in the last couple of months. For live, clean cattle you’re looking at around 215 to 220p, an increase of about 20p on the last 12 months.”

Giles Drew, market manager and auctioneer at Northallerton Auctions Ltd, said: “We’ve moved on in last five years after Foot and Mouth and provide a better service. We’re more specialised. We have 15 ringside buyers every Tuesday that take all sorts of stock, all weights and grades. Our numbers are up 30-40 per cent on this time last year. Just because one abattoir has closed it’s not a disaster. It just means people will have to make use of their more local facilities.”

The Welsh Country Foods plant was acquired by VION Food Group in 2008. The firm said the plant was closed, with the loss of 310 jobs, after a decision by ASDA to move its fresh lamb business to an alternative supplier.