Later lambing and later grass growth leave market short of spring lamb

THE focus is on spring lamb for Easter, but supplies are very scarce.

Factory prices for the new season lamb range from 500 to 520 cents/kg (179p to 186p/lb) for the small supply which is available.

In the marts, they have been making up to €76 over €1/kg this week.

Later lambing and late grass growth have combined to deplete the supply of spring lamb.

This, and stronger demand in France and Britain, has helped to maintain prices for hoggets.

The week opened with factories generally quoting a base price of 392 cents/kg (140p/lb) Monday and Tuesday.

The intake at the factories is up to 7,000 head behind this time last year.

There were 900 head on offer at Fermoy Mart on Monday, in an excellent trade. The limited number of new season lambs on offer sold at €80 to €125 per head, or €40 to €76 over €1 per kg. Hoggets made €30 to 54 over. There was a big sale of more than 1,500 head at Kilkenny on Monday, and a buoyant trade. Spring lambs made €55 to €75 over. Butchers hoggets sold at €20 to €44 over, and factory agents paid €21 to €47 over. Cull ewes sold for up to €84 per head.

In Britain, the trade eased a little through the middle of last week, following an increase in supply, before recovering towards the week-end, to finish at the equivalent of 398 cents/kg (including VAT). In France, Irish lamb has been selling at up to 440 cents per kg delivered, in strong trading.