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THE BANKS are bouncing farmers’ cheques that are only marginally over the limit and are not supplying credit to farmers to buy fresh stock, the manager of one of the largest marts in the country told the economic forum on Irish farming and food.

Seán O’Sullivan, chief executive of Cork Marts, said it was all very well for the banks to say they were open for business but that was not what he was experiencing in his business. “There is a severe deficiency in the levels of support given by the banks and we know about it on the ground in the last six to nine months. There is a severe credit squeeze.”