IRELAND-EASTER SUCK LAMBS.
Sheep farmers are hoping for a much-needed price boost for spring lamb during this all-important Easter week.
Opening quotes for Easter lamb from the factories were lower yesterday morning than last year.
However farmers are pinning their hopes on the mart trade to give a lift to lamb prices.
Strong competition within the butcher and wholesale market is expected to create a rivalry with the factories for spring lambs.
The best quotes from factories yesterday morning were 550c/kg plus a 6c/kg bonus, although one plant was quoting as low as 520c/kg.
It is understood farmers were being paid at least 20c/kg higher than the quoted prices yesterday, but some farmers received 600c/kg for limited numbers of spring lamb late last week.
IFA sheep chairman Henry Burns said lamb prices had risen strongly during the past 10 days, with a big lift in both hogget and spring lamb prices.
Mr Burns said hogget prices had risen by €7-8/hd, with factories paying from 460c/kg to 475c/kg to secure numbers.
Mart prices for hoggets have been in the €110-€114/hd range.
Top prices for spring lamb at the marts have been €120-125/hd.
However, Mr Burns said producers should set a realistic target of €130 for spring lamb for this week.
Competition
He insisted factories needed to increase their base price for spring lamb to at least 600c/kg.
"Otherwise, early lamb producers should go to the mart where there is good competition from butchers and wholesalers for the limited volumes available," Mr Burns urged farmers.
Supplies of spring lamb are expected to be down this year.
Tullow Mart manager John Murphy said he believed spring lambs would be down by as much as 50pc.
However, Athenry Mart had a good entry of lambs yesterday morning, where they sold for €100-120/hd, or €60-70, over the weight.
The large number of factory and butcher lambs on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Monday may have helped to keep a lid on spring lamb prices, said mart manager Michael Lynch.
Mr Lynch said the significant though not huge number of spring lambs made €58-77 over, with a top price of €119/hd.
Butcher and factory lambs were making €35-53 over and €38-51 over respectively at Monday’s sale where 1,500 were offered, which was significantly bigger than last week’s number.
- Caitriona Murphy
