Farming

By Neale McQuistin

The issues facing the food and farming sector, caused by labour shortages, have now reached a serious situation – according to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

In a new report published yesterday – Labour shortages in the food and farming sector – MPs conclude that the sector faces permanent damage if the Government fails to address the lack of workers resulting mainly from the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.

NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy said yesterday: “The findings of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) report published today tallies with what NFU Scotland has long been calling for. The UK Government must do more to address the acute labour shortages that exist throughout Scotland’s food and farming sector as a result of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and now exacerbated by the crisis in Ukraine.

“These shortages have threatened our food security, the welfare of our animals, and affected the mental health of those working in the sector.

“NFU Scotland wants to see an improved and expanded seasonal workers scheme, a step-change from the Government in how it engages with the industry, a review of aspects of the skilled worker visa scheme that act as barriers to immigration, and the development of a long-term strategy that combines migration, innovation, and skills development in rural areas”.

Market round-up.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 781 prime and cast sheep at their weekly sale at Newton Stewart yesterday.

The 668 prime hoggets averaged 255p/kg (+2p). Hoggets up to 45 kilos met a huge demand while heavy hoggets would be a similar trade to last week. Top price of £128 was achieved for a single Beltex, while top price per kilo was paid for a pen of light weight Blackfaces that made 306p/kg. The 321 Blackface hoggets sold to average 254p and peaked at £124 for a pen of fed hoggs. Cast sheep rose again this week. Top price was £162 a Charolais tup and then a Suffolk tup at £158. Texel cross ewes sold to £148 with Mules to £135 and Blackfaces to £114.

C&D Auction Marts held its weekly sale of primestock in Dumfries yesterday.

Prime cattle peaked at £1,737 or 274p/kg, while beef type OTMs sold to £1,570 for a Simmental and to 216p for an Aberdeen Angus. Dairy types sold to £1,529 for a Holstein and 178p for a Fleckvieh.

There were also 694 prime hoggets that sold to £138 for heavy Texels and to 300p/kg for lighter types. There were 361 hoggets weighing over 46kg that sold to 284p/kg and averaged 253p.

A small show of cast sheep met a blistering trade. Heavy ewes peaked at £238 and averaged £142, while light ewes sold to £128 and averaged £90.