The downward pressure on lamb prices continues this week, as base quotes fall a further 10c/kg on last week’s prices.
Base quotes for lambs are ranging between €5.20/kg and €5.30/kg. Kildare Chilling held its quote for lambs; however, both Irish Country Meats (ICM) and Kepak Athleague are offering €5.20/kg respectively for lambs, which is 10c/kg less than this time last week.
When quality assurance (QA) bonuses are taken into account it is leaving quotes for lambs at €5.30-5.40/kg.
Farmers involved in producer groups, reportedly, have been securing prices of between €5.50-5.60/kg.
At the moment, factories are paying up to 21.5kg for spring lambs.
Base quotes for cast ewes are hovering around the €2.50-2.60/kg mark; however, when QA bonuses are factored in, prices of up to €2.70/kg are achievable.
Finally, in terms of hoggets, base quotes are currently standing at €4.40c/kg.
Quotes
This week, Kildare Chilling (Monday quote) is offering a base price of 530c/kg +10c/kg QA (payable up to a carcass of 21kg) – for spring lambs.
ICM (Monday quote) is offering a base price of 520c/kg + 10c/kg QA (payable up to a carcass of 21kg) – for spring lambs.
And finally, Kepak Athleague (Tuesday quote) is offering a base price of 520c/kg + 15c/kg QA (payable up to a carcass of 21kg) – for spring lambs.
In terms of cast ewes, base quotes are ranging between 250c/kg and 270c/kg. When QA bonuses are taken into account it is leaving quotes – for ewes – around the 250-270c/kg mark.
Finally, both Kildare Chilling and ICM (Monday quote) are offering 440c/kg for hoggets.
Spring lamb quotes:
- Kepak Athleague: 520c/kg + 15c/kg QA;
- Kildare Chilling: 530c/kg + 10c/kg QA;
- Irish Country Meats: 520c/kg + 10c/kg QA.
Cast ewe quotes:
- Kepak Athleague: 250c/kg;
- Kildare Chilling: 260c/kg + 10c/kg QA;
- Irish Country Meats: 250c/kg.
Hogget quotes:
- Kildare Chilling: 440c/kg +10c/kg QA;
- ICM: 440c/kg + 10c/kg QA.
Throughput
For the week ending June 21, the number of spring lambs processed increased by 852 head and amounted to 52,825 head.
The number of hoggets processed during the week ending June 21 amounted to 1,299.
Cast (ewe and ram) supplies at the Department of Agriculture approved sheep export plants stood at 7,653 head – a decrease of 219 head – for the week ending June 21.
Week-on-week sheep kill supplies (week ending June 21):
- Spring lambs: 52,825 head (+852 or +1.63%);
- Hoggets: 1,299 head (-577 or -30%);
- Ewes and rams: 7,653 head (-219 or -2.78%);
- Total: 61,777 head (+44 or +0.07%).
Moreover, overall supplies increased by 44 head during the week ending June 21 and amounted to 61,777 head.
Data source: Department of Agriculture
Cumulative figures for the year to date have reached 1,255,886 head, which is an increase of 61,994 head compared to the 2019 figure of 1,193,886 head.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending June 21):
- Hoggets: 784,291 head (+37,711 or +5%);
- Spring lambs: 316,178 head (+42,497 or +16%);
- Ewes and rams: 155,377 head (-19,202 or -11%);
- Total: 1,255,886 head (+61,994 or +5%).