Farming
By Alec Ross
NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy has expressed the farming industry’s disappointment at yesterday’s Budget statement.
Mr Kennedy said: “Despite the strongest representation, the Budget has not been used to extend the highest level of energy relief after March 31. That risks longer running food price inflation for consumers and negatively impacts thousands of supply chain companies that are sustained by the farming sector.
“The ETII scheme currently excludes primary agricultural production. Failing to address that is a failure to address growing food security concerns and raises the prospect of more empty shelves appearing in stores”.
Commenting on expected additional funding, NFUS director of policy Jonnie Hall said: “There is a good case to be made that additional monies coming to Scotland via Barnett consequentials be earmarked for capital spend within the agricultural sector.
“Potential recipients could be processors, or farmers attempting to comply with new rules around slurry storage.”
Round-up
Newton Stewart saw 766 hoggs sold yesterday with all weights seeing a rise with lighter weights notably in demand, averaging 242p/kg or £106/head.
Heavyweight Texels led the trade at £137/head from Station Yard whilst 281p/kg was achieved for a Beltex from Airyolland.
375 Blackface hoggs averaged 240p/kg or £100/head, selling to £120 for heavies from Lagafater Farms or 267p/kg from Glenvernoch. Cast sheep topped at £184 for Beltexes from Roan with ewes to £126/head for a pen of Lleyn Crosses from Kildarroch. Mules topped at £110/head from Knocknain with Cuil again leading the Blackfaces at £100/head.
Yesterday also saw C&D hold its weekly primestock sale in Dumfries with cattle meeting a competitive trade.
Limousin cross heifers from Yett sold to 308p/kg, while dairy and beef OTM cattle sold to £1838/head and £1868/head respectively.
Lighter hoggs averaged 266p/kg and sold to £296p/kg for Abune the Brae, with heavier hoggs averaging 231p/kg and selling to 248p/kg for Cleuchbrae. Cast sheep met a good trade with ewes particularly sharp. Suffolk ewes sold to £140 for Woodcroft and Fairhills while Texel rams sold to £168/head for Woodcroft.
British Blue bull calves at Carlisle yesterday peaked £650 from Big Balcraig, Limousin bull calves sold to £480/head for Windy Hill while Messrs Martin, Tempest Tower sold to £560 in the Aberdeen Angus section. British Blue Heifers met a pleasing trade, selling to £560 from Big Balcraig. Messrs Forrest, Meinfoot topped the Limousin section at £395 for a heifer.
Steers averaged a healthy £1,406/head with heifers levelling at £1,344/head and selling to £1,980/head for two Limousin cross heifers from Messrs Hartley.
British Blues sold to £1,840 Kirtlebank, with Simmental crosses selling to £1,750 from South View and Aberdeen Angus to £1,570 from Messrs Fisher & Steele.
Steers peaked at £1,900 from High Knells Farm with Limousins selling to £1890 from Messrs Batey.
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 88 calves and stirks at Ayr on Tuesday. Dairy calves were sharper on the week with a top price of £560 for a British Blue cross bull from Findlayston while heifers sold to £450 for a British Blue cross from Auchleand. The top price stirk sold to £1,290 from Acholter while bullocks sold to £1,100 Aberdeen Angus crosses from the same home.
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