Spring lamb prices at factories pass €8/kg

Sheepmeat market report

Happy days for sheep farmers as high price records for lambs are being broken week after week

It is sunshine all the way for sheep farmers as they reap an unprecedented spring harvest when selling lambs and hoggets.

With buoyant demand for sheepmeat on the home and export markets, and the supply continuing to fall short of requirements, high price records are being broken week after week.

Spring lamb prices at the factories are reported to have breached €8/kg this week as processors compete strongly for scarce supplies.

With Easter past, demand for Ramadam is now a big market factor.

Some processors were cautious this week about quoting forward for spring lamb, while others offered 775-790c/kg, and it is widely claimed that they are up to and over 820c to get lamb supplies.

The overall throughput in Irish export sheepmeat plants is running 8% below 2020 levels (hoggets 7% lower, ewes and ram throughput 15% lower, and live imports from the North for direct slaughter down 30%, compared to 12 months ago). The new season supply is slowly increasing, and there is still strong demand for hoggets, with prices on offer of 720-730c/kg, and higher rates having to be paid to get supplies through the gates.

The usual Monday mart sales did not take place this week, but prices remained at record-breaking levels at marts up to last weekend.