The sheep trade is starting the new year like it finished 2022: Unchanged, with factories holding base prices at the start of this week.
Any sign of a price increase at the start of 2023 doesn’t look set to materialise, with prices for now holding to last week’s levels.
However, procurement staff have said that things could change later in the week, with the lamb trade possibly slipping rather than rising.
Prices
Looking to the trade at present, Kildare Chilling is holding its base price from last week at €6.40/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus up to 22kg.
Irish Country Meats remains on a base price of €6.30/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for up to 22.5kg.
Meanwhile, reports from other meat processing plants indicate a base price of €6.30/kg.
This is leaving base quotes at €6.30/kg up to €6.40/kg, with QA lambs moving at €6.40/kg up to €6.50/kg.
Prices at the top end of the market are reaching €6.60-6.70/kg, with deals above this scarce.
In many cases, the majority of lambs are moving at prices ranging from €6.40-6.60/kg.
The ewe trade is unchanged however. Base quotes are ranging from €3.00/kg up to €3.20/kg, with up to €3.60-3.70/kg being secured at the top end of the market.