40 cents/kg (15p/lb) off spring lamb prices
Week on week, prices being quoted by factories are down as much as 40 cents/kg (15p/lb) for spring lambs. Producers with the older lambs are also suffering, but to a lesser extent — if that is any consolation — as hogget prices fall by 10 cents/kg.
At the marts, spring lamb prices have dropped by up to €20/head this week, while hogget prices held steady.
The big surprise for farmers is that the price slide has come at the same time as a slide in supply. Intake at the factories has dropped by 7,000 head per week and is down 10,000 head per week on 2007 which — normally — should sustain the trade.
Factories slaughtering on Tuesday quoted base prices ranging from 524 to 520 cents/kg (187p or 186p/lb) for spring lamb, and 420 to 410 cents/kg ((150p to 146p/lb) for hoggets. The usual bonus for quality applies to all categories. There were 800 head on offer at Fermoy Mart on Monday, where the trade for the hoggets held best. Spring lambs sold for €90 to 109/head, equivalent to €55 over to 65 over. The butcher’s hoggets made €80 to 125/head, or €30 to 65 over.
There were 700 head on offer at Kilkenny Mart where prices were back €15 to 20/head for spring lambs, which sold for €44 to 61 over.
Butchers hoggets ranged from €30 to 55 over. Trade eased through last week.
