Marts March On In new era
“THIS IS THE HAND WE HAVE BEEN DEALT AND WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT”
Aidan Murphy working at Kanturk Mart on Tuesday
“IT has been probably the toughest week I have put down in my more than 20-years here”.
So said Kanturk Marts manager Seamus O’Keeffe as he and his team, along with those at other marts across the country, adapted to a whole new set of operational procedures brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Gone, at least for the foreseeable future, are the days when the local mart was as much a place for farmers to meet and socialise with one another, as it was a place to trade and do business.
That unique atmosphere that can only be found on a busy mart day has been replaced by a surreal quietness, with social distancing regulations transforming once thriving mart yards into virtual ghost towns.
While there was much relief when it was announced last week that marts would be allowed to reopen, albeit on a limited capacity, after being recategorised as an essential service, a lot of work had to be done to get them back up and running.
“We have had to radically overhaul the way that we operate and my team have done trojan work in adapting to these unprecedented operational changes that we have been putting in place for the past week or so,” said Seamus.
He and his team had less than 12-hours to put these in place before reopening for business, a mammoth task by any standards.
“To be fair to everyone here knuckled down to business and got the job done. I can not praise them enough for their hard work and dedication over the incredibly short transition period,” said Seamus.
The new rules now mean that farmers bringing cattle to market can only do so at a pre-appointed time in order to minimise their interactions with others.
“They tell us want they want and what they are prepared to sell for. Our auctioneer values the calves, which are the most difficult to handle, and passes that onto the seller. To be fair, 95% of farmers have been happy with that valuation,” said Seamus.
“Of course that is all relative, given the fact that the prices the factories are prepared to pay has dropped by as much as 30% over the past two to three weeks. That is placing a very heavy financial burden across the sector,” he added.
Buyers are only allowed into the mart one at a time to do their business and once they agree a price with the auctioneer they must take their purchases away immediately.
“Its far from ideal and far removed from the way that we like to treat loyal customers that we have known for years and who have become friends. But that is the hand we have been dealt and we have to live with it,” said Seamus.
“Overall, there is a sense of relief that the mart is open at all and the farmers we have met over the past week are just delighted to be able to trade.”
However, he said the new regulations have meant that mart day, traditionally an occasion for farmers to meet up, swap stories and “enjoy the craic”, has become little more than a socially vacant conveyor belt for buying and selling cattle.
“For many farmers, in particular those living in very isolated areas, mart day was the highlight of their week, a day they relaxed with friends over a cup of tea in a local restaurant and caught up with the news. That is now a pleasure denied to them and for how long we simply can not tell,” said Seamus.
“My fear is that will lead to even more rural isolation, with some farmers living alone not seeing a living soul from one week to the next. It is now up to the powers that be to ensure no one is left isolated and alone in their own homes.”
Seamus said it was his hope that things will get back some kind or normality as soon as possible.
“That may take weeks, it may take months, but we have to believe that this will come to and end sooner or later. The very fabric of rural Ireland and the mental, physical and financial well-being of its people depend on that happening.”