After a number of weeks of prices holding steady, there is some movement in the sheep trade, with one plant moving up its base price for hoggets by 5c/kg.
It’s not a major stir in the trade but it could be a sign of more to come, the hope would be.
It’s a western-based plant who are leading the way at the start of this week, with a base of €6.75/kg plus a 15c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus – up 5c/kg from this time last week.
Kildare Chilling is following behind with a base of €6.70/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, which is the same price as last week.
While Irish Country Meats also remains on a base of €6.50/kg, plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for hoggets.
This is leaving those trading at the top end of the market securing prices of €6.80-7.00/kg – with up to €7.10/kg also reportedly being secured for hoggets.
There is still variation in what factories are paying up to for hoggets with weights ranging from 22.5kg up to 23kg.
Deductions are still in place for hoggets killing out over 25kg so just to be mindful of this when drafting hoggets.
From the meat processing plants Agriland spoke to, all are quoting the same price for ewes coming into the start of this week, with a base of €3.40/kg. Kildare is offering a 10c/kg QA bonus on top of that.
Top reported prices for ewes are ranging from €3.50/kg up to €3.70/kg.
‘Signs that the trade is stirring’
Speaking to Agriland about the sheep trade at the start of this week, Sean McNamara of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) said: “Although recent sheep kills have been big of late, supplies on the ground are tightening.
“This, will hopefully lead to prices rising and it already looks like the trade is stirring in a good way.
“Factories are trying their best to get hoggets at lower prices but are meeting strong resistance and are still having to pay prices as high as €6.90-7.10/kg to secure supplies.
“With key dates in the sheep calendar coming up factories will be looking to fill orders and with supplies tightening on the ground, hopefully it will lead to prices rising again.”