Market men fear cost of DEFRA rules
Market men fear cost of DEFRA rules
By James Garner
OVER the next few weeks livestock auctioneers at markets up and down the country will be busy analysing DEFRAs proposal outlining conditions they must satisfy if they are to re-open.
Auctioneers will have to study the conditions listed in the 18-page document long and hard before they commit either way.
Aylsham Market in Norfolk, a traditional livestock venue occupying a town centre site, is one of many venues considering its future.
According to DEFRAs new guidelines, its original buildings, wooden pens, small-scale washing facilities and lack of entrance gates will need to be altered.
Market auctioneer William Frazer has been selling pigs and sheep there for 10 years and his father for 30 years before that. In that time he has built up a brisk pig trade – about 400 fat pigs were sold every Monday, plus 100 sows.
"I can remember some good days," says Mr Frazer. "The day following the news of BSE, I sold 1200 pigs and could have sold another 1000. The trade was flying at 120p/kg. We will be lucky to see deadweight prices as high as this again."
On Thursdays during the hogget season 500-600 lambs would pass under the hammer and 200-300 new season lambs.
The market has served a valuable function for the community and if it doesnt re-open it will be sorely missed, says Mr Frazer.
"I am not saying we are shut, but we need to reflect and be realistic. There will be terrific extra cost. Theres not one single requirement that would stop us re-opening, but it is difficult to know whether making the investment will be worth it. The site is worth more for development."
To comply with DEFRAs conditions, Mr Frazer reckons that he will have to put new gates on the front of the market, tarmac the rest of the yard, improve the wooden penning and upgrade the general repair of the site, following 12 months without use.
Although he feels the local community and farmers would like the site to re-open, a number of obstacles are in the way.
"Some farmers have used the deadweight system for a year now and they might want to stay with that. Then theres all the extra paperwork, having to disinfect vehicles, no mixing of animals and the 20-day rule. They all add to the difficulties."
The additional rules will inevitably result in higher marketing costs, he says. "We would have to put our commission rates up. Although it is very difficult to tell farmers you are increasing your commission by 2%, you cant work for nothing and the costs have to be passed on." *