Slower trade in France blamed for lamb price cuts of up to 14 cent
Larger supplies on the French market contributed to slower trading.
Factory prices dropped by 10 to 14 cents/kg (3p to 5p/lb), with the base quotes at 370 cents/kg (132p/lb), plus the usual bonus payments for quality.
In the marts, butchers paid up to €43 over €1/kg for the best of the lambs on offer.
In the marts, there were more than 700 head on offer at Fermoy on Monday, where the butchers lambs sold for €77/head to €92/head, or €30 over €/kg to €43 over.
Factory agents paid €62/head to €82/head, or €25 over to €36 over.
There were 800 head on offer at Kilkenny, where the trade was quieter, with prices back as much as €3/head from the previous week, particularly for the plainer lambs. Quality lots were steady at unchanged prices. Butchers paid €25 over to €33 over, and factory agents paid €26 over to €33 over.
Prices in Britain came under pressure through last week, before recovering to conclude the week at the equivalent of 376 cents/kg including VAT (134p/lb).
In France, the trade remained low key, with increased volumes of British lamb supplied to the market during the week. Prices for Irish lamb remained steady for most of the week, with the best of the Irish supply selling at 390 to 400 cents/kg delivered in Paris.
