Up to €79 over for good quality hoggets
There is very little between the quoted prices around the country. They range from an all-in 480 cents/kg (171p/lb) on offer at Moyvalley Meats, Co Kildare, to a base of 470 cents/kg (168p/lb) plus the usual bonus for quality at all of the other processing plants.
Supplies of hoggets remain tight, and sheep farmers are resisting any threat of price reduction, with some processors reported to be paying up to 10 cents/kg (4p/lb) over quoted prices to get supplies.
In the marts, a strong trade was reported from the opening sales this week, where up to €79 over was paid by butchers for good quality hoggets. There were 400 head on offer at Fermoy on Monday, where there was an excellent trade. Butchers paid €108 to €136 per head, equivalent to €60 over to €79 over.
The factory lots sold for €73 to €100 per head, or €43 over to €57 over.
There were 650 head on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Monday, where prices eased by €4 to 6 per head from the previous week. Butchers’ hoggets sold for €52 over to €66 over and the factory lots ranged from €50 over to €60 over.
The trade in Britain eased over the past week on the back of some strengthening in sterling. By the end of the week, the hoggets were making the equivalent of 451c/kg (161p/lb) including VAT.
In France, domestic supplies of Lacaune lamb have increased, and limited volumes of Grade 1 Irish lamb entering the market were generally making up to 490c/kg (175p/lb).
