The balance of supply and demand remains very much on the side of tight supplies, with agents struggling to get their hands on required numbers. Factories continue to take the position of resisting upward pressure and competing for what numbers they can within the same price range.
The balance of supply and demand remains very much on the side of tight supplies, with agents struggling to get their hands on required numbers.
Factories continue to take the position of resisting upward pressure and competing for what numbers they can within the same price range.
A high percentage of quality assured (QA) sheep are trading from €7.80/kg to €7.90/kg, with U grades selling to upwards of €8/kg depending on the pricing programme in place.
There have been some moves by agents to compete outside of their own catchment areas, with prices of €8.05/kg to €8.10/kg reported in recent days.
There are reports of higher prices being paid at the top end of the market, particularly to regular sellers and agents active in mart sales.
This is reflected in a strong mart trade, where lambs weighing 50kg to 54kg are trading in the main from €178 to €186/head.
Select lots of heavier and excellent-quality lots are exceeding this range and selling to upwards of €190/head.
Northern Ireland
The trade in Northern Ireland is similar, with live prices in many cases running ahead of the factory trade.
Competition is being helped by agents purchasing lambs for export to Ireland, Britain and further afield, including the Netherlands.
Base quotes remain in the region of £6.40/kg or the equivalent of €7.66/kg at Monday evening’s exchange rate of 83.6p to the euro.
Groups and regular sellers are securing 10p/kg to 15p/kg above quotes, with some plants also willing to do deals on carcase weight to 22.5kg to 23kg to match deals on offer further afield and encourage producers to trade.
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