Up to 15 cents/kg price recovery in past fortnight

THERE has been a glimmer of hope for hard-pressed lamb producers, as price recovery continued for a second consecutive week.

Although coming from a low base, an increase of 5 to 10 cent/kg (2p to 4p/lb) has been welcomed by suppliers, bringing the base price at the plants on Tuesday to 366 cents/kg (131p/lb).

The usual bonus of 6 cents/kg applies for quality. Prices have now recovered as much as 15 cents/kg over the past fortnight.

Intake at factories has continued to fall, by a further 6,000 head per week, to bring the supply under 40,000 head, compared to over 67,000 head at the same time in 2007.

At the marts, the trade was reported steady at Fermoy on Monday for 600 head.

The butcher’s lambs ranged from €80 to €105 per head, which was equivalent to €30 over to 52 over.

The factory lambs made €52 to €82 per head, or €18 over to 36 over.

There was a large sale of 1,200 head at Kilkenny Mart, where the trade was generally similar to the previous week, except for the store lambs, which were back as much as €5 per head, attributed mainly to the weather conditions leading to less interest from farmers in buying stores. Butcher’s lambs made €30 over to 37 over, and the factory lots ranged from €20 over to 34 over. Store lambs sold for €12 over to 24 over.

There has been an improvement in the trade in Britain, with prices lifting by up to 11 cents/kg to the equivalent of 368 cents/kg (131p/lb), including VAT.

There has also been an improvement in the trade in France, with the August bank holiday having sparked off an increase in demand.

Prices being achieved for Irish lamb have increased as much as 30 cents/kg, at 410 cents/kg.