Up to 200 sheep farmers protested outside Marks and Spencer on Dublin's Grafton Street this morning over the UK chain's perceived refusal to sell Irish lamb products.
The Irish Farmers Association accused the retailer of 'decimating Irish spring lamb producers' by selling New Zealand lamb when, the IFA says, Irish-produced premium quality product is freely available at a competitive price.
IFA President Padraig Walshe said that the future of the €400m a year Irish sheep sector is under threat from imports into the EU, primarily from New Zealand.
He said: 'Total Irish lamb production is 70,000 tonnes per year, while New Zealand is allowed an EU import quota of over three times this amount, at 227,000 tonnes.'
In response Marks and Spencer said that Irish spring lamb will be on sale in all thirteen of its Irish stores next week. The company said that will be five weeks earlier than in 2006.
Marks and Spencer also says it stocks Irish beef, venison, salmon, chicken, bacon, eggs, milk, cheeses, potatoes, vegetables, salads and bakery products.
Ten years ago there were 43,000 sheep producers in Ireland, this has fallen to 33,000.
In the last seven years breeding numbers have dropped to 2.9 million from 4.5 million.
