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The sheep trade is holding steady, with a sharp reduction in hogget supplies tightening numbers.
The two ICM plants and Dawn Ballyhaunis are holding quotes steady on a base of €5.50/kg, while Kildare Chilling has increased its quote by 10c/kg and is quoting a base of €5.60/kg.
Kepak Athleague is not quoting, while Moyvalley Meats and Ballon Meats are steady on all-in quotes of €5.50/kg and €5.60/kg respectively.
These quotes are for lambs weighing up to 20.5kg, with factories slow to increase to 21kg carcase weight.
Prices secured by individual sellers range in general from €5.60/kg to €5.70/kg for quality assured (QA) lamb, with sellers finding it more difficult to negotiate significantly above base quotes for non-QA lamb.
Returns to producer groups and sellers handling large numbers range from €5.70/kg to €5.80/kg.
Factories worked hard last week to maximise throughput and service higher demand for the Ramadan festival.
The kill increased by 9,547 head on the previous week, with total throughput recorded at 62,610 head, by far the highest kill for the year to date.
This included 12,605 hoggets, with factories in cases holding these numbers and targeting them to supplement supplies for the Ramadan trade.
Prices paid ranged anywhere from €4.35/kg to €4.50/kg on average, with higher prices paid in cases for lighter hoggets meeting desired specification.
Likewise, penalties were imposed for hoggets killing significantly overweight.
Reports suggest some producers were more anxious to market stock before new EID rules came into place.
IFA sheep chair Sean Dennehy said: “The first flush of spring lambs have gone through, hogget numbers are more or less gone and the change in weather has slowed down finished lamb supplies.
“Farmers should bargain hard, reject the lower prices and insist on a strong bonus over the quoted price, with factories paying €5.70/kg to €5.80/kg.”
Quotes in Northern Ireland are steady at a base of £4.25/kg. This equates to €4.80/kg at a weaker sterling to euro exchange rate of 88.5p and €5.06/kg when VAT is factored into the equation.
Livelier ewe trade
The reduction in hogget supplies and tightening ewe numbers has added more life into the cull ewe trade.
ICM has lifted its ewe quote by 20c/kg to €2.70/kg.
Reports suggest top prices paid range from €2.80/kg to €2.95/kg, with sellers handling small numbers and possessing lower negotiating power opting in cases for a strengthening mart trade.
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