Farmers have emerged victorious after being stationed outside Lidl and Aldi stores in Cavan town since last Thursday in a protest over low egg prices.

Aldi yesterday issued a statement that promised a price increase that "substantially exceeds" the two-cent-per-egg hike that suppliers were demanding.

Lidl said it would not be commenting on the protests.

Brendan Soden, poultry vice chair of the Irish Farmers' Association, said that discount retailers fail to pay egg producers a fair price, leading to farms facing huge debts and potential closure. He said: "Producers are strongly considering not restocking their farms at this stage. In 2012, half-dozen free-range eggs sold for €2.19. Today it's €1.89, a reduction of 15%." Adding that food inflation is at 6.%, he said this "simply does not add up to securing a supply of Irish produce in the future."

If the disconnect between rising shelf prices and cash returned to farmers is not addressed immediately, the IFA says that consumers won't find Irish eggs in the shops in the near future.

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Protesters blocked the suppliers' entrances to Cavan's Lidl and Aldi stores with tractors, trailers and bales of hay, leaving shelves bare as deliveries could not be made.

At Lidl in Cavan, protesting farmers gave away their eggs for free. Mr Soden's wife Samantha, who was also at the protest, said they might as well if they weren't paid a proper price, as it costs more to produce the eggs than they are being given for them.

The Sodens' farm in Co. Cavan produces over 50,000 eggs a day.

"They're giving away our livelihood, so we can give it away for free," Samantha told RTÉ. "It's the same difference."

The IFA says that egg producers are facing "significant cost increases" in both feed and nonfeed costs, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis.

Poultry farmers have been campaigning for help recovering costs for a year.

A requirement was agreed for 15 cents per chicken to be passed back to producers - but this is yet to be fully implemented.

Aldi said yesterday that given its agreement to pay farmers more than what they were asking, the "continued disruption of our Cavan store by a small number of farmers is reckless".

"The blockade, which has prevented store deliveries, has caused real frustration among our customers - frustrations we share," it said. "Stock is not the problem, access is. Our supply trucks are loaded with Irish produce from our Irish suppliers ready to stock the shelves of our Cavan store. Unfortunately, the blockades are preventing this."

Aldi added: "Against a backdrop of record inflation and rising household costs, value matters more than ever.

"Over recent days, hard-pressed local customers who are dealing with the cost-of-living crisis have been disregarded by protesters.

"We appreciate farmers and suppliers will always seek to get the best possible deal. This is reflected in our commitment to engagement and discussion which is ongoing. We always strive for and achieve positive, sustained supplier relationships. But we will never compromise on our value commitment to our customers."

Mr Soden said that there had been "fantastic support" for the protests from the public. "It's not the customer we want to annoy, but we're being put into that situation where we have to," he said.

The IFA is calling for a food ombudsman to be urgently established to regulate and protect farming revenue. At the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the weekend, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine confirmed he had started recruiting for the new Office for Fairness and Transparency in the Agri-Food Supply Chain.

Minister Charlie McConalogue said that the office would be in place by the end of the year, and will have "real teeth to protect farming families".

Taoiseach Micheál Martin was in Cavan town last Thursday afternoon and met with protesters and members of the IFA.