Egg producers and protesters that have been demonstrating outside Aldi in Cavan town since last week have expressed disappointment at an agreement between Aldi and its egg suppliers.
According to the vice chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) Poultry Committee Brendan Soden, the increase agreed is a response to a request made in July and is no longer sufficient as circumstances have changed drastically since.
The retailer announced yesterday (Monday, October 3) that it agreed a price increase with its egg suppliers on Saturday (October 1), however it would not confirm the exact figure to Agriland.
Soden, who has been protesting outside the Cavan town branch of the store with fellow farmers since last week, said that this increase is a response to a three month old request and due to the sharp rise in input costs, it is not enough. He said:
“The price increase which was sought in July by egg producers has only been addressed since the protest commenced five days ago.
“While the current protest has been successful in achieving the July price request, that request has been outstripped by rising input costs.”
He added that the protesters are “extremely disappointed” and feel “let down” by the move, given the fact that they “made it abundantly clear to Aldi that the July price request would be insufficient to cover both the costs of the suppliers and the producers”.
Soden also stated that the supermarket chain has repeatedly assured the IFA that there is adequate money available to ensure the survival of family farms. He added:
“We need new money on the table to bring this protest to a successful conclusion for all parties in the egg supply chain.”
Soden said that the farmers and producers will continue to protest outside the store as a result.
“IFA remain available as always to enter into meaningful dialogue with all parties. Farmers are resolute to remain in situ until this is achieved.”
The egg producers began protesting alongside poultry and pig farmers outside both Aldi and Lidl in Cavan town at 4:00a.m on Thursday of last week. They insist that they have been losing money for 400 days due to below cost selling, and are calling for an extra 2c/egg, 15c/chicken and 10c/kilo of pork supplied.