Lamb prices lift in steady trading
There has been a tightening in the supply on offer in Britain, and a steady trade on the continent over the past week, both of which helped to lift prices at the factories here.
The factory quotes range from 365 to 360 cents/kg (130p/lb to 128p/lb), plus the usual bonus payments for quality, with Kepak at Hacketstown and ICM at Camolin and Navan coming in at the upper end of the spread this week.
In the marts, there has been a much livelier trade this week with improvements of up to €8 per head for butchers lambs. On Monday, there was an excellent trade for a large sale of 1,100 head at Kilkenny, where prices were improved by up to €8 per head for the butchers lambs, and factory lots showed gains of up to €5 per head, with the best of the factory lambs topping the butcher’s prices.
Butchers paid €36 over to €44 over. Factory lambs sold for €28 over to €45 over.
At Corrin Mart (Fermoy) there was a much improved trade for a small entry of 400 head. Butchers paid €90 to €109 per head, which was equivalent to €38 over to €50 over. The factory lots sold for €63 to €80 per head, or €25 over to €35 over.
In Britain, lambs have been selling for the equivalent of 395 cents/kg (141p/lb).
Demand in France has been steady, with prices in the region of 400 cents/kg.
