Prices have continued to rise in the sheep trade this week with factory quotes for hoggets hitting the €7.40/kg mark at some sites, a price increase of €1.40/kg in seven weeks.
Spring lamb prices have seen an increase this week too, with as high as €8.10/kg quoted and some farmers managing to secure more this week.
The unexpected turn of fortunes in the sheep trade will come as welcome news for farmers with finished lambs to sell, however some procurement staff have warned the weekly price increases could soon end as the Muslim festival Ramadan (which has been helping the trade) is set to draw to a close this week.
Meanwhile, ewe price has been slower to rise having increased by just 20c/kg in the same time period that hoggets have risen by €1.40/kg.
Hoggets
Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.20/kg plus a 10c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus, bringing its offering for hoggets this week to €7.30/kg. This outlet is paying up to 23kg carcass weight.
Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €7.20/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, bringing its offering to €7.40/kg up to a 23kg carcass weight.
Other outlets are quoting €7.05/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for hoggets bringing their price offerings to €7.20/kg up to 23kg carcass weight.
Spring lamb
For spring lambs, Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, bringing its price offering to €8.00/kg up to 20kg carcass weight.
ICM is quoting €7.90/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus bringing its offering up to €8.10/kg for 20.5kg carcass weight.
Other outlets are quoting €7.95/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kg carcass weight leaving €8.10/kg on the table at these.
Cull ewes
Kildare chilling is quoting €3.40/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus up to 40kg carcass weight leaving €3.50/kg on offer for ewes here.
ICM is quoting €3.50/kg for ewes up to 45kg carcass weight while other outlets are €3.40/kg up to 46kg carcass weight.