The upward trajectory of factory hogget prices continues in the sheep trade this week, with a further 10c/kg added to quotes this morning (Monday, March 13).
Two weeks ago, most factory outlets were quoting €6.00/kg for hoggets and today, the top quote is coming in at €6.40/kg – which is 40c/kg higher.
With factories paying farmers up to 23kg carcass weight for hoggets, the 40c/kg price rise over the past two weeks marks an increase of €9.20/head in the prices factories are paying for hoggets.
Deals are being done at prices as high as €6.50/kg for hoggets up to 23kg carcass weight.
Kildare Chilling is quoting €6.30/kg for hoggets this week plus a 10c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus, bringing its total offering to €6.40/kg for hoggets. The outlet is paying up to a carcass weight of 23kg.
Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €6.15/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, bringing its total offering to €6.35/kg for hoggets up to a carcass weight of 23kg.
Other outlets are quoting €6.10/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, bringing their offering to €6.25/kg.
In the case of ewes, Kildare Chilling is quoting €3.30/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus (up to 40kg carcass weight) this week, bringing its offering to €3.40/kg all in.
ICM is quoting €3.10/kg up to 40kg carcass weight for ewes this week and other outlets are generally quoting €3.10/kg for ewes, with higher-price deals available to groups and larger suppliers.
Sheep trade
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) Sheep chair Sean McNamara has welcomed the positive movement in prices but said “more is needed to deliver a margin for farmers”.
He said that the breakeven price for hoggets is currently “somewhere in the region of €7.30/kg” and that farmers who are currently finishing hoggets are continuing to make a loss on their produce.
The ICSA is set to host a meeting on the issues in the sheep sector in Co. Leitrim later this month.
All sheep farmers are invited to have their say on the current situation, McNamara said, adding that “we need to plot a way forward so sheep farming can have a future”.
Issues affecting the sheep sector will be addressed on Tuesday, March 21, in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon from 8:00p.m.
Speakers and topics on the evening include:
- Oliver Crowe, C.C Agricultural Consultants – Maximising payments under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP);
- Bord Bia – Market outlook and the promotion of Irish lamb;
- Sean McNamara – 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.