GOOD news in the livestock sector has been thin on the ground since foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed on 3 August: prices for sheep, pigs and cattle subsequently collapsed.
However, as of this morning the export market to mainland Europe is once more open.
The industry view is that the mere four cases of FMD in Surrey, where the blame is alleged to lie with the UK government's laboratories at Pirbright, have caused
as much disruption and cost to the industry as the outbreak of 2001 - the world's worst FMD epidemic.
But Scottish farmers have some cause to smile: Scotland is now a region officially declared free from FMD, and that does not apply to Great Britain in general, and the export trade in all red meat products will be basically restored to normal. The market in beef and lamb before that other disaster, BSE in 1996, was valued at close to £150 million a year.
As ever, officials in Brussels have taken their time to signal that the Scotch product is once again welcome throughout mainland Europe.
Nigel Miller, vice-president of NFU Scotland and a qualified veterinary surgeon, said: "It is extremely frustrating that it has taken a full fortnight to turn the initial decision into reality. This should help the sheep market and I also expect a boost to prices for cows now that we can access once again to important outlets."
Before last night's announcement, farmers and the trade were subject to a range of restrictions that made exporting extremely difficult - but just possible. In effect, farms were locked up for 21 days with no movements permitted in or off the premises. That in turn drove down market prices, especially for sheep, to their lowest for 30 years.
The consequence has been farmers tending to hold back lambs from the market, and little wonder with prime lambs for some weeks selling in the live trade for marginally more than 70p a kg on the hoof: a price that precludes any hint of profit.
The Meat and Livestock Commission, in its weekly updates of prices and market conditions, now reckons that as many as 30 per cent of the lambs being offered for sale are in the heavy weight category. In more normal times this figure would be closer to 10 per cent. The market for heavy lambs is limited, and not one that attracts export buyers, most of whom sell to France. However, Jack Clark, the president of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraiser in Scotland, reckons that selling through auction marts is the best route on a difficult track back to a semblance of prosperity.
Clark told The Scotsman: "It has been tough for both auctioneers and our customers, be they sellers or buyers. My view remains that by selling live through the Scottish network of markets the export buyers now have the chance to select what they know their European customers demand. That should result in the general level of trade rising, and not before time."
The trade in France for lamb is firm, with the wholesale prices in the Rungis market in Paris close to 4 (300p) per kg, which is way above the best Scottish price of 200p. The word from France last night was that while importers welcome an in-flow of Scottish lamb, they will do everything to hold down the price.
On the political front Richard Lochhead, the Cabinet secretary for rural affairs, said: "This news will be met with a huge sigh of relief. With these restrictions lifted [farmers] can now look forward and get the wagons rolling again for exports."
The industry will share those sentiments, but it will not be until the end of December that live exports from Scotland will once again hit the road. That is likely to be the time when values of sheep, cattle and pigs can come even close to what they were a year ago.
