Steady week for lamb prices
Trade in the marts opened the week on a slightly easier tone.
There was a slight improvement in the prices in the UK over the past week, even with stronger supplies on offer. Prices gained a few cent to the equivalent of 370 cent/kg (132p/lb), which was slightly more than the top of the trade in France, where the market has remained steady at around 365 cents/kg (130p/lb).
There has been some criticism of factories for attempts to bring prices back under the UK and France levels, with claims from the IFA that lower prices were not justified by the returns from UK and France.
Most factories were on a base price of 347 cents/kg (124p/lb) on Tuesday, after minor downward adjustments of the prices which had ruled on the previous day.
In the marts, there was a large entry of more than 2,500 head at Kilkenny Mart on Monday. Butchers’ lambs were back €1/head, while the prices being paid for factory lambs were unchanged.
Butchers’ lambs sold at €27 to €32 over €1/kg, and factory lots made €20 to €27 over. There was also a large offering of breeding ewes, with hoggets selling for up to €140/head.
The lamb trade at Fermoy Mart on Monday was improved.
With 800 head on offer, the butchers lambs made €28 to €42 over €1/kg, and the factory lots made €18 to €28 over.
Numbers were similar to last week at Athenry Mart, where lambs made €22 to €31 over.
