The first of this year’s lamb crop will be processed in factories this week (beginning Tuesday, March 19) as spring lamb prices in 2024 have opened.
For a quality assured (QA) spring lamb, farmers are being offered up to €9.40/kg.
This week is a four-day processing week, and with Easter falling earlier this year on Sunday, March 31, it remains to be seen what the supply of spring lambs will be across the next two weeks as processors prepare for the market demand.
Last year, the spring lamb market opened with QA prices of between €7.50/kg to €7.65/kg, a stark contrast to this week where a QA spring lamb is fetching factory prices from €9.20/kg to €9.40/kg.
Hogget prices this week are in a stronger position than they were last week, as prices have increased by up to 35c/kg.
Twelve months ago, base hogget quotes were from €6.15/kg to €6.50/kg, compared to base prices from €8.20/kg to €8.30 this week.
Spring lamb prices
Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €9/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 20.5kgs, a total of €9.20/kg.
The processor is also offering €10/kg for milk lamb falling within a 10-13kg weight range.
Other outlets are offering €9.25/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus, also up to 20.5kgs, a total of €9.40/kg for a spring lamb.
Hogget and lamb prices
Kildare Chilling is quoting €8.30/kg, plus a 10c QA bonus up to 23kg for hoggets/lambs – a total of €8.40/kg, and a rise in price of 30c/kg since last week.
They are offering €5.00/kg for light hoggets/lambs under 15kg, or those that are grading from an O2 to P1.
ICM increased its hogget price by 35c/kg up to a base price of €8.20/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €8.40/kg.
Other outlets are quoting €8.25/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus, bringing their price offerings up to €8.40/kg, and these are paying up to 23kg also.
Ewe prices
Kildare Chilling has offered €3.20/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for ewes from 23kg to 35kg, a total of €3.30/kg, a price rise of 10c/kg.
For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling has risen its prices by 10c/kg and has offered farmers €3.40/kg plus a 10c QA bonus, a total of €3.50/kg for a better type ewe.
Ewes under 23kg and rams weighing up to 43kg are both being quoted at €2.50/kg by Kildare Chilling.
Rising its price by 10c/kg, ICM is offering €3.50/kg for heavy ewes, while other outlets are offering €3.50/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for a ewe up to 35kg, a total of €3.60/kg.