Weaker sterling aids British exporters
The trade opened on Monday with base prices ranging from 350 to 340 cents/kg (125p to 121p/lb) at a minority of factories where buyers are anxious for lambs. Interest remained low Tuesday, with only a slight improvement in prices, to a range of 350 to 344 cents/kg (125p to 123p/lb).
Trade varied at the marts, where prices for butchers lambs were generally steady, but the factory lots came under pressure at some locations.
There was a steady trade at Fermoy Mart Monday. Butchers paid €78 to 94 per head, which was equivalent to €28 to 42 over.
A pen of twelve lambs weighing 52 kg sold for €94, seven weighing 54 kg fetched €96, and 12 weighing 53 kg sold for €94.
The factory lambs made €44 to €71 per head, or €11 over to 27 over.
There were 850 head on offer at Kilkenny Mart Monday. Trade was steady for the butchers lambs, while the factory lots were back as much as €5 per head.
Butchers paid €26 to 34 over. Factory lots ranged from €20 to 30 over. The store lambs were also a weaker trade, ranging from €10 to 22 over.
In Britain, the market improved through last week, after a tightening in supply. The weaker sterling is making British lamb more competitive on the French market. The market in Paris has been helped by a tightening in the supply, but the demand is not hectic, and Irish grade 1 lamb is selling at around 375 cents/kg.
