Sheep prices plummet, small farmers have no choice but to change careers

Winter is the peak season for mutton sales, and prices will rise significantly. However, the price of mutton this winter almost fell to the lowest point of the year, significantly lower than in the same period last year. Recently, the reporter learned that the price of mutton was on the rise a few years ago. In 2013, a jin of live sheep was sold at 14 yuan per jin, while at present it is only 8 yuan per jin. The price fell sharply, and many small farmers suffered losses and had to choose to change careers.

If you raise sheep carelessly this year, you will lose money.

The price of mutton fell, and the farmers had the greatest impact. Gao Bo, a farmer in Gaozhuang Village, Bozi Township, Hanting District, Weifang City, was suffering. When he mentioned the price of mutton this year, he shook his head. "for several years in a row, the price of mutton has been rising, but for some reason, at the beginning of this year, the price of mutton has been so low that there is no money at all."

The reporter learned that at present, there are three breeds of Duper sheep, Boer goat and small-tailed Han sheep in Gaobo's farm, of which small-tailed Han sheep are mainly supplied to the local market. "there were more than 400 sheep in my farm last year, but now there are less than 200 left." Gao Bo said that the lower the price of mutton, the more he raised, the more he lost. Fortunately, he handled more than 200 sheep in time in the first half of the year.

Gao Bo told reporters that the price of mutton rose a few years ago, and he increased his breeding capacity. He gave the reporter an account for the current profits of raising sheep. Sheep raised on a large scale are generally fed with fodder, and a sheep can eat an average of 90 yuan a month. If you keep a sheep for seven months, the cost will be 630 yuan. This has not added to the sheep medical treatment, labor and other expenses. " Gao Bo said: at present, the price of a ram is 8 yuan per catty. If a sheep grows to 100 jin, the market price is between 600 yuan and 800 yuan. If there is any carelessness, it will be a discount. It is almost the end of the year. Gao Bo thinks that the price of live sheep will not rise any more. now he just wants to sell the sheep at home quickly and dare not stay any more.

It is understood that many sheep farmers in the province are newly added, and they wanted to take advantage of the good market to earn more money. as a result, the price of mutton fell this year, and farmers generally could not earn money.

Some small farmers have changed careers one after another

The reporter learned that affected by the market price of mutton, larger farmers are still holding on, while some small farmers have changed careers one after another.

Zhang Baorui, a farmer in Xiaotun Village, Zhangying Town, Yuncheng County, said that the price of mutton was better last year. He began to raise sheep and raised more than 70 sheep at the peak. At that time, the price of live sheep was 12 yuan per jin, and a sheep could earn about 400 yuan. "when the price of live sheep is the highest, it sells for 14 or 15 yuan per jin, and the profit is very high." Zhang Baorui said that now the price has fallen to the lowest point in recent years, raising sheep can not make money, so some local free-range farmers have given up raising sheep.

Ding Weiming, a farmer in Qianyuan Village, Huangxing Township, Jiaxiang County, said that the reproductive capacity and production rate of sheep are relatively low, and the growth period is also longer. In general, an ewe can breed three to four lambs a year. "it was because the price of mutton was relatively high a few years ago that I began to raise sheep. The good times did not last long. This year, the price of mutton fell, and at first I was able to make some money, but in the second half of the year, I began to lose money." Ding Weiming said that small farmers like him could not stand the trouble at all, and they were forced to change careers.

The oversupply in the market is the main reason.

The low price of mutton this year has basically become a foregone conclusion. Qu Xuxian, deputy director of Shandong Animal Husbandry Station, believes that mutton prices rose step by step a few years ago, and farmers began to breed mutton sheep on a large scale, resulting in a sharp increase in the stock of mutton sheep. mutton market supply is adequate, but market demand has not increased, mutton prices naturally decline.

"according to the current situation, it is expected that in the later stage, the price of mutton in our province may rise slightly before the end of the year, but this low operating situation may continue." Qu Xuxian said.

Now approaching the end of the New year, many farmers still do not see a rising trend in mutton prices, and some farmers have begun to fail. Qu Xuxian suggested that some conditional farms and large farmers can learn from each other's advantages. in addition to saving breeding costs as much as possible, they can also improve breeding techniques, reduce breeding mortality, and strive for ex-factory feed to jointly deal with the "cold winter."