Prices for weanlings weaken

Marts: Weanling prices have weakened at the mart sales in a readjustment of the trade following the changeover to the single payment.

There is a wide variation in price from area to area of the country, with the only common factor that all sales are showing a drop in price from this time last year.

Prices have eased between €50/head and €170/head, according to the sales figures from the marts for trading this week, while the official Department of Agriculture figures compiled at three representative marts in the country are showing a drop of about €65 per 100kg in prices, compared to the same time last year.