Peak season for sheep farmers
Prices for all categories are stronger, and demand has reached its customary seasonal peak, except that in 2011, it is coming on top of an already positive year to date for farmers.
There is an increase in the supply of new season lambs on the market this week. Moyvalley Meats (Kildare) continue to lead the field by quoting an all-in 650 cents/kg (232 p/lb) for spring lambs. Dawn and ICM factories are quoting 640 cents/kg plus bonus, with Kildare Chilling at a base of 639 cents/kg plus bonuses. The Kepak factories are offering a base of 630 cent plus bonus for quality.
There is a continuing very strong trade for hoggets. Moyvalley Meats are offering an all-in 580 cents/kg (207p/lb), with the other plants varying between 560 cent and 574 cent plus bonus for quality.
In the marts on Monday, up to €154 was paid for spring lambs, or up to €106 over, while hoggets ranged to €85 over.
There was a larger sale of 1,000 head at Fermoy Mart on Monday, where there was an excellent trade. Spring lamb prices ranged from €78 over to €106 over. Hoggets sold for €65 over to €85 over.
At Kilkenny Mart on Monday, spring lambs ranged from €85 over to €97 over, and butchers paid €80 over to €85 over for hoggets, with factory lots making €56 over to €73 over.
The trade in Britain for hoggets is reported to have eased slightly in response to stronger supplies of spring lamb emerging on the market over the past week. Prices were the equivalent of 600 cent/kg (214p/lb), including VAT, by the weekend. The supply of spring lamb on the market has strengthened, selling for up to 690 cents/kg by the weekend.
In France, some promotional activity has helped maintain demand for sheepmeat. This, combined with tight supply of Irish and British product, has lifted prices for Irish grade 1 hoggets delivered to Paris to 600 cent/kg. The limited numbers of Irish grade 1 spring lamb are making between 640 and 650 cents/kg.
