There have been more positive developments in the sheep trade this week as hogget prices have lifted by as much as 20c/kg at some factories.

Quotes have also increased by as much as 60c/kg over the past three weeks with the Ramadan festival one of the key factors driving this demand.

The supply of hoggets to date this year is down by just over 4,000 hoggets or 1% on last years’ supply at just under 460,000 head.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €6.50/kg plus a 10c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for hoggets this week bringing their total offering to €6.60/kg.

Meanwhile Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €6.15/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets this week bringing their total offering to €6.35/kg.

Other factories are quoting €6.25/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus bringing their offering to €6.40/kg.

Most outlets are paying farmers up to 23kg carcass weight on hoggets this week.

Ewe price

Kildare Chilling is quoting €3.30/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus bringing their offering to €3.40/kg for cull ewes.

ICM is quoting a flat price of €3.10/kg for cull ewes and are paying up to 45kg carcass weight while other outlets are quoting €3.20/kg for ewes.

ICSA sheep sector meeting

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) will host a meeting on key issues for the sheep sector on Tuesday, March 21, in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, at 8:00p.m.

All sheep farmers are invited to have their say on the current situation, ICSA sheep chair, Sean McNamara, believes it is important for the sector “to plot a way forward so sheep farming can have a future”.

Speakers on the evening include:

  • Oliver Crowe, C.C Agricultural Consultants who will discuss maximising payments under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP);
  • Bord Bia who will discuss market outlook and the promotion of Irish lamb;
  • Sean McNamara who will discuss ICSA’s campaign for an emergency aid package for sheep farmers and additional funding for the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS).

The ICSA is currently campaigning for a €50 million rescue package for the sheep sector to be funded through the Brexit Reserve Fund (BAR) under which Ireland was allocated a total of €1 billion.

SHEEP TRADE