Another 10c takes lamb price to 660 cent plus bonus
Producers continue to benefit from tight supplies and strong demand for sheepmeat, both on the home and export markets.
The prices for new season lambs have bucked the usual pattern, gaining about 10 cents/kg so soon after Easter, which is reflected in this week’s quotes at factories.
Kildare Chilling has taken the lead on prices for new season lamb, offering 660 cents/kg (235p/lb) plus a bonus for quality. Most other plants are offering 650 cents/kg plus bonus for spring lambs, with the exception of Moyvalley Meats with an all-in 650 cents/kg being quoted.
The hogget prices at the factories range from 590 cents/kg (211p/lb) plus bonus which is being quoted at Kildare Chilling. Most of the other processors are on 580 cents/kg plus bonus, but there is also a bit of 570 cents/kg plus bonus being quoted.
In the marts, up to €107 over was paid this week for spring lambs, and hoggets sold for up to €98 over. There were 500 head on offer at Fermoy Mart on Monday, where there was a very good trade. The new season lambs sold for €139 to €156 per head, equivalent to €90 over to €107 over. Butchers hoggets sold for €120 to €144/head, or €70 over to €98 over.
In Britain, the trade for the hoggets improved slightly over the past week on the back of increased demand in the run-up to the May bank holiday. Prices increased by 5c to the equivalent of 585 cents/kg including VAT by the weekend. Despite spring lamb supplies strengthening, prices increased by 5c to the equivalent of 675 cents/kg by the end of the week.
In France, some promotional activity continued to help maintain demand. This combined with tight supplies of Irish and British product has helped improve Irish grade 1 spring lamb prices to between 660 and 670 cents/kg.
