Lamb prices continue to tumble this week, with up to 40c/kg wiped off base prices for lambs for tomorrow (Thursday, June 23).

In what has been a quick and unexpected turn of events, as much as 70c/kg has been slashed off lamb prices in the space of just over a week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.50/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus for lambs tomorrow. This is a reduction from its Tuesday (June 21) price of €7.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, and 50c/kg less than its quoted price on Monday (June 20).

Irish Country Meats has also knocked 30c/kg off its base price for lambs tomorrow, to stand also at €7.50/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus.

Some plants are holding prices to what they were earlier in the week for tomorrow, which was €7.80/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for lambs, but have confirmed prices will be back for Friday (June 24) and roughly in line with what prices are quoted above from other meat processing plants for tomorrow.

The reason for this pull in prices for lambs is what Agriland reported on Tuesday morning from factories: Moving product is the difficulty.

One procurement manager told Agriland that lambs are coming from all sides, but the difficulty is shifting the lambs out the other end, and that kills this week have been smaller so far in light of the difficulty in getting product sold and shifted.

The only positive news is that cull ewe prices are holding strong, with base prices continuing tomorrow from €3.90/kg up to €4.00/kg.