The latest sheepmeat price dashboard published by Bord Bia for the week of 13 August 2022 shows French sheep farmers are well and truly regaining their position among the highest farmgate lamb prices in Europe.

The reported French price of €8.02/kg is almost €1.30/kg ahead of the next-highest price recorded in Spain, as demonstrated in Table 1.

The Irish price of €6.38/kg is on a par when the flat-rate VAT addition of 5.6% is factored into the price.

The British price for that week averaged €6.45/kg, with these prices running in the region of 35c/kg to 45c/kg above the corresponding week in 2021.

Meanwhile ,prices in Northern Ireland, at an average of €5.91/kg, are 35c/kg above 2021 levels.

Global sheepmeat prices remain strong, with Australian farmgate prices of €5.09/kg on a par with 2021 levels, while New Zealand farmers are enjoying a more buoyant trade, with prices at an average of €5.76/kg, running 40c/kg higher.

Current performance

Farmgate prices are unchanged for this week, with base quotes continuing to range from €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg.

Prices at the lower end of the market are typically in the region of €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg.

Groups and regular sellers are securing returns of €6.55/kg to €6.60/kg, while at the top end of the market, prices of €6.65/kg to €6.70/kg have been paid.

The cull ewe trade also remains solid, with quotes ranging from €3.40/kg to €3.60/kg.

Many farmers are securing returns ranging from €3.50/kg to €3.70/kg, while at the top end of the market, agents and those supplying ewes in the hundreds are securing returns rising to €4/kg and higher.