Supply in the sheep trade this week (Monday, July 10) will be tight for spring lamb in factories due to reduced numbers coming from Northern Ireland.
Sean McNamara, the sheep chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), has said this is due to the July 12, commemorations.
“This week there’ll be no lambs coming from the north because of July 12,” he said.
Regarding the current prices farmers were receiving for their outputs, McNamara told Agriland: “Farmers will not continue at this; the cost of production is €7.20 and we’re gone below it.”
Further disappointment came to Irish farmers when it was announced yesterday (Sunday, July 9) that the EU and New Zealand signed a trade deal that allows a tariff rate quota of 38,000t of sheepmeat to be imported from New Zealand duty free.
“This agreement can only be described as kicking sheep farmers when they are down,” McNamara said.
Sheep trade – hoggets
Kildare Chilling is offering the same price for a hogget ewe as it is for a cull ewe this week, which is €2.90/kg plus a 10c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus to 40kg, a total of €3.00/kg.
Other outlets were not offering a quote for hoggets this week, with the supply of hoggets continuing to wind down but remaining much higher than the corresponding week of 2022.
In the final week of June this year, 5,350 hoggets were processed, compared to 1,600 head of hoggets in corresponding week of 2022.
Spring lamb
Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €7.00/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs this week, bringing its offering to €7.20/kg up to a 21kg carcass weight.
Following no quotes for spring lambs last week, Kildare Chilling is now offering €7.20/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, a total of €7.30/kg up to a 21kg carcass weight.
Other outlets have quoted €7.00/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus, paying €7.15 for a spring lamb up to 21kg.
Cull ewes
Kildare Chilling is quoting €2.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus up to 40kg carcass weight, offering a total of €3.00/kg for a ewe this week, reducing its price by 40c/kg since last week.
ICM has quoted €3.00 for a ewe up to 45kg, the same price as last week.