SHEEP farmers are being urged to “stand firm” and demand better prices for their stock from factories.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) sheep chair Sean McNamara, said: “factories are struggling to get lambs and prices are edging upwards.

“I am hearing of 20c/kg more this morning and I think that the more farmers resist now, the more we can drive price up,” he said.

“Last week, I and other ICSA sheep farmers held back our lambs in a stand against the absurdly low prices the factories were quoting."

He continued: “The factories were having a laugh at our expense offering prices way below the cost of production, so a decision was made not to sell.

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“I understand that it’s not easy for farmers feeding sheep expensive meal but there are good signs now that prices will move upwards.

“There are reports that some exports from New Zealand to China are resuming and it is clear that for the past few months, stronger EU and UK imports of New Zealand lamb have been a problem.

“It looks like the worst of that may be over for the moment so now is a time to look for higher prices.”

Mr McNamara previously said that farmers finishing lambs should hold out for €7.00/kg.

He said that anything less than this resulted in selling below the cost of production: “This tactic of factories to continue to lower prices can’t continue and if suppliers hold lambs back, it will force processors to step up and move prices forward.”