Factory-ready lambs scarce but processors hold the line on price

Suppliers are reporting that there are a few cents more going and that 800c/kg is generally being paid, with some deals for more being successfully negotiated.

The positive on the lamb trade at the factories is the demand for supplies at the processing plants, but there is no "sweetener" for the suppliers on the price available.

Finishers who were hoping for a lift in prices are disappointed that the market demand has not delivered any benefit on the price, but processors claim that current returns from the markets do not justify paying more for the lambs.

The processors are quoting 760–765c/kg plus the quality assurance of 10–20c/kg.

Suppliers are reporting that there are a few cents more going and that 800c/kg is generally being paid, with some deals for more being successfully negotiated.

The number of factory-ready lambs has tightened, putting some pressure on the processors to source sufficient, but all the indications are that price increases are also conceded to relieve the shortage of market requirements.

Entries have slipped back at the live sales at the marts, which has tightened the opportunity for factory agents to make up for the deficit in direct deliveries to the plants.

The prices for the opening sales this week were largely unchanged overall, but the heavier lambs were selling at slightly less than a week earlier.

There was a smaller sale at Corrin on Monday, where the top price was €195 for a lot of two butcher's lambs weighing 64kg. A lot of two weighing 62kg sold for €193, while five weighing 54kg made €192, and five scaling 54kg sold for €190.