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Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker
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<blockquote data-quote="Frank-the-Wool" data-source="post: 6847665" data-attributes="member: 699"><p>It is interesting to see the comments on here on what we should do to help ourselves and reduce the control of the supermarkets. </p><p></p><p>Most of the comments on here are critical of the large (mostly Irish controlled) abattoirs who control the price of most meat and while they are not exactly monopolies they are more or less a cartel. There is a lesson to be learnt here and I will explain what we do to partly reduce the risks of getting shafted.</p><p></p><p>Anyone who thinks we should set up a new small abattoir can forget it, quickest way to lose a fortune!!</p><p></p><p>Some 35 years ago I started to supply a local butcher with 2 lambs a week, we still supply that butcher but now around 20 a week for 50 weeks of the year. We also supply two more butchers and a local wholesaler and now directly supply 2,000 plus a year. We are so busy at the moment that our only local abattoir is struggling to keep up with demand and I have orders for the next 2 weeks of over 150 hoggets. I have told them the price will be at least £4.80. We are in danger of running out as they mostly want 19 to 23 kg max. The heavies we will probably put through the market.</p><p>We lost the last large abattoir in the south east in 2001 after FMD (Invicta Lamb), we also lost all but two markets and only one that is of any size at Ashford remains. I cannot fault the auctioneers there and the comments knocking auctioneers do not apply down here. Yes they do not get the highest prices for stock but they ensure they always get paid! We only have the small ethnic or export supply abattoirs around London.</p><p></p><p>Where I am fortunate is that I just supply whole carcasses, yet the supermarkets mostly only want pre packs of cuts. The largest growth area we have is now "Farm Drop" through one of the butchers I supply, he has had to limit their supply to 30 lambs a week, I am sure this outlet will go from strength to strength after this is all sorted out. It is a lot of work for him, but because it is all on line he can adjust what he has in stock to the demand. But it does reduce waste and the pricing is on par with Waitrose.</p><p>The most difficult part of this type of business is we need to have enough lambs/hoggets that are ready at the weights they demand almost 52 weeks of the year. We only lamb March and April, but I do buy some stores as well.</p><p></p><p>I appreciate not everyone can do this but through small Co-ops it could be done. You do have to give a fair bit of credit and it is not for the faint hearted. I have just taken on a new butcher a month a go and once again started with 2 hoggets, next week wants 5!!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Frank-the-Wool, post: 6847665, member: 699"] It is interesting to see the comments on here on what we should do to help ourselves and reduce the control of the supermarkets. Most of the comments on here are critical of the large (mostly Irish controlled) abattoirs who control the price of most meat and while they are not exactly monopolies they are more or less a cartel. There is a lesson to be learnt here and I will explain what we do to partly reduce the risks of getting shafted. Anyone who thinks we should set up a new small abattoir can forget it, quickest way to lose a fortune!! Some 35 years ago I started to supply a local butcher with 2 lambs a week, we still supply that butcher but now around 20 a week for 50 weeks of the year. We also supply two more butchers and a local wholesaler and now directly supply 2,000 plus a year. We are so busy at the moment that our only local abattoir is struggling to keep up with demand and I have orders for the next 2 weeks of over 150 hoggets. I have told them the price will be at least £4.80. We are in danger of running out as they mostly want 19 to 23 kg max. The heavies we will probably put through the market. We lost the last large abattoir in the south east in 2001 after FMD (Invicta Lamb), we also lost all but two markets and only one that is of any size at Ashford remains. I cannot fault the auctioneers there and the comments knocking auctioneers do not apply down here. Yes they do not get the highest prices for stock but they ensure they always get paid! We only have the small ethnic or export supply abattoirs around London. Where I am fortunate is that I just supply whole carcasses, yet the supermarkets mostly only want pre packs of cuts. The largest growth area we have is now "Farm Drop" through one of the butchers I supply, he has had to limit their supply to 30 lambs a week, I am sure this outlet will go from strength to strength after this is all sorted out. It is a lot of work for him, but because it is all on line he can adjust what he has in stock to the demand. But it does reduce waste and the pricing is on par with Waitrose. The most difficult part of this type of business is we need to have enough lambs/hoggets that are ready at the weights they demand almost 52 weeks of the year. We only lamb March and April, but I do buy some stores as well. I appreciate not everyone can do this but through small Co-ops it could be done. You do have to give a fair bit of credit and it is not for the faint hearted. I have just taken on a new butcher a month a go and once again started with 2 hoggets, next week wants 5!! [/QUOTE]
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