Brisk trade as mart reopens

THERE was a good trade in cattle, calves and sheep at Dingle mart on Saturday when it opened for the first time since marts nationwide were closed down by coronavirus restrictions in early March.

For the past three months Dingle mart has continued to operate on an ‘appointment only’ basis to meet the requirements of the coronavirus lockdown while facilitating trade between farmers and buyers. In the absence of auctions during that time mart manager Neilus McAuliffe took on the role of honest broker, visiting farms to assess the value of animals and setting prices that would be fair to both buyer and seller. Farmers were then given individual times for delivering their animals to the mart where they were picked up by the buyers with minimal contact between people.

The re-opening of the sales ring on Saturday saw the mart return to the cut and thrust of auction sales but strict social distancing rules meant it was still far from the normal Saturday bustle in the Fair Field. Farmers still had to adhere to set times for delivering their animals and seating around the sales ring was reduced to 20 from the normal capacity of 60 to 70 people. Even so, Neilus said “it was good to see people back at the mart again and to have the sales ring even half full.”

There was a brisk trade at the mart on Saturday and “prices were very good”, despite fears that the coronavirus pandemic would adversely affect beef prices. Neilus noted that the prices achieved in the sales ring were on a par with those he had set himself over the past three months. The top price achieved for an animal on the day was €1,580 for an 810kg charolais cow.

Photos by Declan Malone ABOVE: John Begley and Martin Greaney working in Dingle mart on Saturday when the first open sale was held since the government ordered the closure of marts nationwide as part of a round of coronavirus restrictions imposed on March 12. Photo by Declan Malone RIGHT: Mart manager Neilus McAuliffe and Sean O’Connor.