The sheep trade in 2020 continues to perform well above expectations set earlier in the year, given a backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and potential Brexit-related trade disruption.

The average price paid for lambs to-date in 2020 is running at €5.28/kg, 52c/kg above 2019 levels.

The trade in recent months has been particularly positive with prices holding at in excess of €5/kg despite high levels of throughput.

Factory agents remain anxious to maintain the weekly kill in excess of 60,000 head and have responded to tighter supplies in recent days by raising prices by 5c/kg to 10c/kg.

Prices are currently ranging from €5.15/kg to €5.25/kg in general. This represents an increase of 65c/kg to 80c/kg above the corresponding period in 2019 or an increase in sales value of €13 to €16 on a 22kg carcase.

Reports suggest the sheep sector is one of the few that are benefiting from a change in eating habits due to coronavirus.

Sales in key export markets are reported as performing positively and with lamb not featuring heavily on food service menus, a switch to cooking at home is boosting sales.

Lower volumes of New Zealand lamb imported to the EU market and static output of British lamb is also helping to increase demand.

This is also feeding into a much improved trade in Northern Ireland, with prices running 80p/kg above the corresponding period in 2019. The lift in deadweight prices is also inserting much more life into store lamb sales, with prices up €5 to €10 on 2019 levels, while average prices for breeding sheep are running €15 to €25 higher.