Farmers losing confidence in future of farming in Northern Ireland as market prices continue to fall at alarming rate

The situation means that farming are receiving less money for their products than it costs to produce them.

UFU president David Brown said: “My phone has not cooled over the last number of weeks with dairy, beef and sheep farmers across NI in desperation after the latest drop in prices, with no justification nor reasoning. The relentless pressure on prices that processors have exerted over the last number of weeks is unacceptable and must stop.

“What we have is a case of follow-the-leader. Once one processor drops the price, the others follow suit.

"We are fully aware that dairy commodity prices have weakened – but dairy companies put product into different markets which would mean differing returns. However, what we are seeing is a reducing differential between the highest and lowest paying processors. The rapid reduction in milk prices since late 2022 has outpaced any fall in input prices.

He said that beef prices have fallen significantly by over £120 a head and lamb has dropped by over £30 a head: “This means that the break-even in terms of cost of production is widening and everyday our farmers are losing. We can’t have processors undermining farmers’ confidence. How can farmers be expected to produce high quality food to world leading standards and receive less than it costs to produce as a return? It is simply neither viable nor sustainable.

“The wettest July on record has been headline news - but what is not being highlighted is that due to the unseasonably wet ground conditions, livestock are having to be housed much earlier than anticipated when they should be outside grazing. Livestock are having to be fed bought-in feed or in some cases, opening the first cut of silage adding additional cost and pressure for farmers, whilst feed and fertiliser prices remain at record levels. Arable and horticulture growers have also been hit hard by the weather as they continue to try and harvest their crops.

"These falls in prices could not have come at a worse time.”