Lamb prices down 10c/kg at the factories

While prices have remained very strong year to date, by traditional patterns, processors argue that the markets are no longer justifying the prices paid so far this year, and maintaining them at the higher level can no longer be justified.

Even for those with larger numbers to offer, it has become much harder to get a deal above 910-915c/kg this week.

Processors have also moved to tighten the cut-off weight limit, advising suppliers that anything above 23kg is no longer acceptable, knocking more than 1kg off the practice of past weeks.

The change is reducing returns to suppliers by an average of €10-11/head.

While it is mid-March, factories will be reliant on hoggets for several more weeks, with just a few new-season lambs beginning to be offered and numbers expected to take some time to build up.

Entries at the mart sales have also been light this week, while clearances have been good and prices have held steady.

There was a 300-head entry at Kilkenny on Monday, where the top price was €223 for butcher hoggets weighing 55kg. A pen of thirteen weighing 52kg sold for €221, while five weighing 60kg made €215. Factory lots sold for up to €148 over.