Factories in Ireland have increased base lamb quotes by 10c/kg to an opening quote of €7.80/kg plus the 20c/kg quality assurance payment.

However, prices on offer remain well below those offered in Northern Ireland (NI), with prices increasing by another 10p/kg to 15p/kg over the last week.

Lamb prices in NI and paid carcase weight limits have typically trended below prices paid in Ireland and Britain.

However, producers have now enjoyed a sustained period of higher prices, compared with returns in Ireland, with the gap in carcase weight limits also narrowing following this week’s move by plants to pay to 22kg carcase weight.

Base quotes on offer for Thursday in plants in NI are £6.90/kg to £6.95/kg, which is the equivalent of €8.03/kg to €8.09/kg.

It is important to note that farmers in NI do not receive the flat-rate VAT addition of 4.5% that farmers in Ireland currently receive on factory sales of lamb and beef.

Therefore, if this is deducted from the opening quote of €8/kg on offer to farmers in Ireland, it leaves quotes in N I running 30c/kg to 40c/kg higher.

The Agriculture Horticulture Development Board also reports British prices increasing by 10.8p/kg to average £7.24/kg at the end of last week or the equivalent of €8.43/kg.

The trade in NI is being buoyed by competition on three fronts – agents purchasing lambs for export to Britain and Ireland for direct slaughter and for trading onwards and factories looking to handle higher numbers domestically.

Last week’s sheep kill in NI reduced by 500 head to 9,696, with plants taking steps to compete with agents purchasing sheep live.

Producers in Ireland are frustrated with prices quoted by factories, with frustration aggravated by the fact that the live trade is running ahead of the dead trade.

The 10c/kg added to quotes at the start of the week has brought prices paid to producer groups to €8.10/kg in the main, but this still lags behind prices paid at the top end of the market.

Reports indicate that agents keen to tie into significant-sized batches have paid €8.20/kg to €8.30/kg to finalise deals and, in cases, divert lambs from being marketed live.

Numbers have also tightened, with last week’s sheep kill falling by 3,000 head to 43,307. This remains 5,243 higher than the corresponding week in 2025, with an increased ewe and ram kill accounting for 2,702 of the shortfall.

Ewe trade

The ewe trade is unchanged, with agents continuing to exhibit a subdued appetite.

Prices on offer range from €4.30/kg in the two Irish Country Meats plants to €4.50/kg in Dawn Meats.

It is worth noting that the latter price is for a ewe weighing in excess of 35kg carcase weight.

At the top end of the market, Ballon Meats is quoting €5/kg for quality ewes.