Buying for the Christmas trade remains in full flow. Kildare Chilling are the only movers on last week’s quotes. Their addition of 10c/kg puts their base quote of €5.00/kg plus 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus well out in front. Dawn Ballyhaunis and Kepak athleague are neck and neck on a base quote of €4.85/kg with the latter’s 5c/kg higher QA bonus of 15c/kg the only thing separating the two western plants.
Buying for the Christmas trade remains in full flow. Kildare Chilling are the only movers on last week’s quotes. Their addition of 10c/kg puts their base quote of €5.00/kg plus 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus well out in front.
Dawn Ballyhaunis and Kepak athleague are neck and neck on a base quote of €4.85/kg with the latter’s 5c/kg higher QA bonus of 15c/kg the only thing separating the two western plants.
The two ICM plants in Camolin and Navan remain 5c/kg lower on a base of €4.80/kg, while Moyvalley and Ballon Meats are unchanged on an all-in quote of €4.90/kg.
Most quality-assured lambs are moving north of €5/kg, with a high percentage of lambs trading from individual sellers at a price range of €5.00/kg to €5.10/kg. Deals for non-quality assured lambs depend on the numbers on offer, type of lambs and producer-processor relationship. Prices reported range anywhere from €4.85/kg to €5.00/kg, with significant variation between and even within plants.
Specialist finishers and producer groups are pushing returns to €5.10/kg to €5.15/kg, with small numbers of select deals at the top of the market rising to €5.20/kg to €5.25/kg when significant bonuses on conformation and allowances on transport are factored in.
The increase in price in recent weeks has underpinned higher numbers coming on to the market. Last week’s kill of 64,994 head was 312 head higher than the previous week and on a par to the corresponding week in 2018.
IFA sheep chair Sean Dennehy says “demand is high with some live export buyers active at marts and paying prices in excess of €2.20/kg liveweight. There is considerable potential for Irish prices to rise further, with prices in our main export markets ahead of Ireland and international prices booming”.
The marginal increase in the kill occurred despite the supply of sheep in Northern Ireland tightening. The number of sheep imported south for direct slaughter reduced by 1,451 head to 9,737. Throughput in Northern sheep plants also reduced significantly, with the lamb kill falling by 954 head to 8,837 while the ewe and ram kill increased marginally by 26 head to reach 726.
Northern plants have increased quotes by 5p/kg to 10p/kg with Dunbia quoting £3.90/kg and Linden Foods £4.00/kg. Sterling continues to strengthen against the euro and at 84.2p to the euro this equates to €4.63/kg to €4.75/kg and €4.88/kg to €5.01/kg including VAT at 5.4%. Top prices paid to specialist finishers are 10p/kg higher.
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