Pace of the price decline has eased
Factory quotes for lambs have slipped by 2 to 4 cents/kg (1p/lb) this week. In the marts, Monday prices were reported as steady for most types of lambs, with up to €42 over being paid for quality butcher’s lambs.
Factory quotes for lambs ranged from 342 to 340 cents/kg (122p or 121p/lb) while reports from around the country suggested that processors are willing to pay more than the quoted prices, to get adequate supplies.
There were less than 500 head on offer at Fermoy Mart on Monday. Trade was steady, with butchers’ lambs selling for €76 to 96 per head, equivalent to €28 over to €42 over. Factory lots sold for €60 to 75 per head, or €18 over to €29 over.
There were more than 1,000 head on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Monday. Trade was sharper for the butchers lambs, for which up to €46 over was paid for the best lambs, with prices ranging back to €30 over. The factory lambs were a similar trade to the previous week, at €22 over to €38 over
There has been a sharp price recovery in Britain over the past week, following a substantial drop in the lamb supply. Prices being paid have gained Stg£0.08/lb, recovering the fall of the previous week. Prices have stabilised in France, where the supply has declined, and the prices for top grade Irish lamb were maintained at 400 cents/kg (including VAT) delivered to Paris. If the present trend in Britain and France is sustained, sheep farmers here can look toward an improvement in prices.
