The two Irish Country Meats plants in Camolin and Navan have increased their base quote by 10c/kg, leaving the group quoting €7.60/kg plus its 20c/kg quality assurance payment for Thursday. No other plant has increased their official price quote, but there are more deals being completed at a higher price point this week.

Regular sellers and producers handling higher numbers and possessing more negotiating power are securing prices at the top end of the market of €7.90/kg to €8/kg. The increase in price is also inserting more life into the live trade, with plants in the east and midlands in particular reporting a sharper trade mid-week and prices firming by €1 to €3/head.

Base quotes in Northern Ireland remain unchanged, with factories quoting a base of £6.40/kg for Thursday or the equivalent of €7.23/kg at Wednesday afternoon’s exchange rate of €88.3p to the euro.

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Regular sellers are being paid 10p/kg to 15p/kg above the going rate to compete with agents purchasing lambs for export to Ireland or Britain.